Harry Potter and The Professor's Secret
by Midnight-Gem94
Summary: Sequel to 'Harry Potter and the Family who Lived'. Harry goes to Hogwarts, the safest place in the world, or is it? When danger lurks around every corner and things are not as they seem, can the boy wizard make it out alive and unhurt?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, I know there was a bit of a long wait for this sequel but here it is! I just needed some time to figure out how exactly everything was going to go down. Now it's ready to go. If you've stumbled upon this story by chance then I urge you to read it's predecessor 'Harry Potter and the Family who Lived', everything will make much more sense that way. However, if you don't want to I won't get in your way...read onnnn!**

**I will now shut my virtual gob and get on with it...**

**Disclaimer: Everyone knows JK wrote Harry Potter...**

Chapter 1

The Reptile House

Harry blinked his eyes open blearily and sat up in bed. Outside his window he saw a perfect summer morning, fresh, bright and sparkling. He smiled throwing the cotton sheets off his body and hopping out of bed, on his way over to his bedroom door he paused and looked back at the Comet Two Sixty propped against the wall in the far corner. His parents had got him the broom the year before as a late birthday present. He would definitely be riding it later.

As he rushed down the stairs he heard voices coming from the kitchen and smelt the scent of scrambled eggs frying. His stomach gave a loud growl at that he ran into the kitchen, almost skidding to halt on the polished wood floors.

"In a hurry Prongslet?" he heard the laughing voice of his God-Father, Sirius Black, say.

He was sitting, as he did about three days a week, at the Potter's kitchen table. A plate of half eaten scrambled eggs on toast and a mug of tea was before him. Sirius looked, as he always did, energetic and cheerful, although in his eyes you could still see an eerie hauntedness that lingered there since his stay in Azkaban.

On the opposite side of the table his Father sat looking slightly worse for wear. He had had a hard day at work the day before and had come home late, he still looked tired. Both he and Sirius had become fully trained Aurors a few months before but unlike Sirius, James Potter found he did not have insurmountable hoards of energy at his disposal. His glasses were even more crooked on his face than usual and his eyelids were drooping slightly but he grinned as he saw Harry enter the room.

"Morning Harry," he said pulling out a chair for his son, "sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did," Harry said eyeing his Father and God-Father's breakfast, "you?"

"Hungry are you?" James asked in response noticing Harry's preoccupation.

"Yes, it certainly looks as though he is Prongs," Sirius smirked, "Shame that."

"What?" Harry asked suspiciously, "why is that a shame?"

"Well, I'm sorry Harry but we've just eaten the last of it," James sadly shaking his head, "to think, if you had only gotten up a little earlier..."

"You could've had the most delicious meal your mother has ever cooked I believe," Sirius finished gravely, "Wasn't it Prongs?"

"Oh yes Padfoot," James said quite seriously, "the most delicious indeed."

Harry looked over at the stove half expecting to see a frying pan sitting there, he was sure he'd heard one sizzling away before he entered the kitchen, but there was none there. He aimed another suspicious look at the two men at the table. Their identicle mischievous grins not making him feel inclined to believe them. Also, there was the fact that his mother, far from not making enough food for him to have breakfast, was practically obsessesed with making sure he ate enough.

"Where's Mum?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

As if by magic a door off the kitchen that led out to a little garden swung open and in through that door came Lily Potter, a highly unimpressed look on her face and a frying pan brimming with scrambled eggs clutched in her hand.

"Does anyone care to explain what my frying pan was doing hanging off the window ledge?" She asked, her eyes narrowed eyes, identical to her son's, focused directly on her husband.

"Don't ask me!" James said quickly, "It was Padfoot!"

"What!" Sirius cried, "Don't blame this on me it was entirely your idea!"

"My idea? I was just sitting here minding my own business and you suddenly said-"

As the argument escalated Lily made her way over to her son and kissed him good morning before summoning a plate to the table and piling a mound of scrambled eggs on it. Harry tucked in hungrily and didn't even look up to see his Mother smack Sirius and James round the back of their heads. The argument ended abruptly as both men quickly raised their hands to rub the backs of their heads.

"Ow woman!" Sirius exclaimed clutching his head, "Why'd you do that? I'm not your husband!"

"Oh, I know that well enough Sirius," Lily said rolling her eyes, "but with the number of times I've cooked you meals, one might begin to get a bit confused!"

"Ah there's a thought!" James said momentarily distracted, "when're you getting yourself a wife Padfoot? I always thought you'd get married first."

"Really?" Sirius said dubiously, "That's odd, I always thought it would be you, you were after all the one who happened to be in love for most of our friendship."

James grinned up at his wife who tried to hide a smile as she sat down at the table. James turned back to his best friend, his expression clearly stating, 'So?'.

"Well you've taking the good one eh?" Sirius said teasingly, "I let you have Lily, now there's no one left."

James spluttered while Lily once again rolled her eyes.

"As if you even had a chance Black," Lily said simply. James beamed.

"Ha!" He said happily, "let me have her...humph!"

Sirius merely shrugged. "Keep telling yourself that darling," he told Lily and offered her a daring wink. She snorted.

"You know," Lily said as James sidled closer to her under Sirius' smirk, "If you had your own wife, you wouldn't have to leave your house every morning for breakfast."

"What's all this talk of marriage?" Sirius said wrinkling his nose slightly, "Are you lot trying to get rid of me?"

"No mate," James said, "we want you to be happy."

"I am happy," Sirius said grinning widely, "I'll have you know I've got a different girl every week."

Lily glared at him and shot a meaningful glance at Harry who appeared to be entirely engrossed in his breakfast and not paying them much attention at all.

"Let's leave him alone Lils," James laughed, "I'd say he's happy enough, let him have his fun."

Sirius glanced at the clock on the wall and sat up quickly.

"Galloping Griffins!" he exclaimed, "I'm late for work!"

"Oh, better go then," James said glancing at the clock as well, "It's been right hectic at office these days, use the fireplace."

"Thanks," Sirius said looking up at the clock again, "Great breakfast Lils, see you Harry."

"Bye Sirius," the three of them said almost in unison as he dashed out of the room. A moment later there was a soft whoosh as he floo'ed to the Ministry.

"Alright," James said, a little while later as he carried their plates over to the kitchen sink, "I'm off today, what shall we do?"

Harry shrugged. His attention was caught by a calendar pinned near the door. He hadn't remembered.

"It's Dudleys birthday today," he said softly, he was thinking about how his life had been, only a year ago, it seemed so far away.

"Oh, is it?" James said distantly, "what did you usually do for his birthday?"

"Er," Harry shifted uncomfortably, he didn't like to tell his parents much about his life with the Dursleys, his Dad would look angry, an expression that seemed foreign to his face, and his mother would go red and mutter under her breath.

"Usually," Harry began hesitantly, "Dudley would go out with Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and one of his mates at school, I stayed with Mrs. Figg, one of their neighbours."

"You mean they left you behind," Lily stated more calmly than she felt. At Harry's timid nod, she shook her head angrily and scowled.

"They are so lucky they'll not see me again," Lily said in a dark tone.

"Well why don't we go out today?" James said coming over to put an arm around his wife, he tried to smile brightly, "We can do something fun ourselves, where'd you like to go Harry?"

A few two hours later they arrived at London zoo. Harry had always wanted to go there, he'd seen the adverts on TV and when Dudley had been taken there a few years ago Harry had felt a bit zealous.

By the time they arrived at the zoo it was very hot and sunny, the zoo was teeming with people. Harry's parents bought him a large chocolate ice cream at the gate, and he licked it happily as they strolled around the zoo looking at all the animals. As they paused infront of an enclosure that housed a large gorilla, Harry commented to his father that it looked rather like Dudley and they both shared a laugh.

Harry was enjoying himself greatly, it felt wonderful to be out and doing something fun with his parents on Dudley's birthday when for the past years of his life he had bee cooped up in a house with a batty old lady who spoke of nothing but her cats. They had lunch in the zoo's restaurant, Harry enjoying a double decker burger and chips along with his father while Lily complained jokingly that her own greasy lunch would make her fat.

After lunch they went to one of the only exhibits they had visited, the reptile house. Inside was dark and cool and filled with lizards and snakes which slithered behind glass enclosures. Harry wandered over to one which housed a large muddy brown coloured one. Despite the snake's sze it merely sat there, coiled up, and sleeping, not doing very much at all. Harry noticed that around the room people were tapping on the glass fronts of the cages, trying to get the snakes to do something. He thought it must be quite tiring, having people knocking on the glass all the time, trying to get you to do something entertaining.

The snake suddenly looked up at him and winked. Harry stared. Quickly he looked around him. His Mum and Dad were looking at a bright purple lizard a few feet away. He looked back at the snake which nodded it's head quite certainly.

It gave Harry a look which plainly said, 'I get that all the time.'

"It must be really annoying," Harry said leaning his head against the glass, uncertain of whether the snake could hear him.

The snake nodded again.

"Where're you from?" Harry asked it curious. It pointed the end of it's tail at a sign stuck to the glass. Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

"You're from Brazil," Harry asked interestedly, "Was it nice there?"

The snake pointed to another sign. Bred in Captivity.

Before Harry could ask another question he heard a horrible familiar voice.

"DUDLEY! ! COME QUICK! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THIS SNAKE IS DOING!"

It was Piers Polkiss' voice. Harry knew him from Primary school, he was one of Dudley's best friends. Sure enough Dudley came waddling up and shoved Harry out of the way, not even seeming to notice who he was. Caught by surprise, Harry fell over onto the concrete floor, he glared at Dudley feeling a lifetime's worth of anger towards the boy and what happened next could not have been anticipated. One moment the glass that Piers and Dudley were leaning against was there and the next, it simply vanished. Harry stared in astonishment as the boa constrictor uncoiled itself and slithered out onto the floor. Pandemonium erupted, people started screaming and running for the exit, Harry was frozen on the floor along with Piers and Dudley who were white with fright. As the snake passed Harry he was sure he heard it hiss, _'thanks amigo'._

Suddenly Lily and James were there hauling him up and tugging him away from the scene as his Aunt and Uncle appeared around the corner, Petunia almost hysterical as zoo keepers arrived attempting to catch the snake. His parents pulled him away, out to the parking lot and into their car. It was only when the doors were completely shut that his parents began to laugh. Harry stared at them in amazement, He had been sure they would be angry with him.

"The glass," Harry finally said as his Mum pulled onto the road, "the glass just...I didn't mean to..."

"Of course you didn't Harry," James laughed, "It was accidental magic, quite funny, there I was ready to tell that kid off for shoving you like that, next thing you know you go and vanish the glass! I think that skinny one wet himself!"

"You're not angry then?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Of course not Harry!" Lily said , "You didn't do it on purpose, it's happened to everyone, I certainly have some stories!"

"Me as well!" James said, "Wow! Imagine that, certainly not the end of the day I expected."

"The zoo keepers will certainly be stumped," Lily said, "They'll wonder where the glass went."

"No they won't," James said, "I put it back as soon as I got over the shock, it won't stop them being confused though, how else would the snake have gotten out?"

They all laughed, Harry beginning to relax. As his parents cheered him up by telling him how lucky it had been that it was Dudley who got frightened by the snake he completely forgot to mention the fact that he had spoken to it.

**So what do you think of that as a beginning? Reviews make my heart sing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Thanks for all your reviews! Some of you have asked me some questions which I am afraid I can't answer because they would be total spoilers! You'll just have to keep reading to get your answers. However I can tell you that I plan on doing all of the HP books, this fic being the first book, and they will all have more than seven chapters because there are seven books. The first fic I wrote was sort of an intro to everything that will happen. Like I said before, Lily and James being back changes a few things...**

**Before I reveal my secrets...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter 2

The Hogwarts Letter

His parents' reaction to him setting loose a giant Brazilian Boa Constrictor had taken Harry rather by surprise. Rather than get angry and shout at him, they had laughed about it. Harry was, of course, still getting used to having parents who loved him and understood him. Both Lily and James had explained to him, a little while later, that they knew how sometimes magic could happen without you actually meaning for it to. However they warned him to try to control his feelings, especially when in the muggle world. It had been lucky that Lily and James were there to get him out and somewhat rectify the situation. As it was, the muggles involved would be very confused as to how the snake had gotten out from behind the solid glass window.

Harry himself, insisted that he truly had not meant to do it, it had just happened and he wouldn't know how to do it again if he tried. Magic, Harry was told, was quite difficult to do without the use of a wand. It was a sort of channel through which magic could flow from a witch or wizard. That was why random bursts of energy occured in children too young to have their own wands. Without a wand to focus the energy on something specific, magic was uncontrollable by children and most adult wizards found it difficult or impossible to perform magic without the use of a wand.

Of course, learning all this made Harry want his own wand, but he wouldn't have one till it was time for him to go to Hogwarts. Since leaving the Dursleys, Lily had been home schooling him. She had wanted to spend as much time with Harry as possible before he had to go Hogwarts. Harry was excited to go to his parents' old school, they had the most exciting stories to tell of their adventures there and Harry was desperate to have his own. There was also the fact that it would be the first time that Harry went to a school without Dudley, may be at Hogwarts he would find some friends?

oOo

"Finished Harry?" Lily asked her son as she flitted about the kitchen.

When he nodded, she flicked her wand at the empty bowl in front of him and it floated over to the sink and submerged itself in the soapy water. All morning Lily had seemed in an almost anxious mood, she kept looking out the kitchen window furtively as though anticipating something, then when she didn't see whatever it was she was looking for she would quickly busy herself with something else. Harry wasn't overly worried about this behaviour, though he was very curious, whatever it was his mum was looking out for had her in a good mood.

A mood which she shared with his father. James had also been behaving a little strangely that morning, though he didn't continuously look out the window, he kept catching Harry's eye and beaming, sometimes offering him a wink or a pat on the back. It made Harry feel as though he was being congratulated for something, but he wasn't sure what. He, being a curious boy, asked them what was going on, but received no understandable answer. Just another wink from James and a tremulous look from Lily.

"Oh Harry..." she sighed happily and peeked out the window once again.

Just when Harry was about to demand they tell him what was going on, there was a soft whoosh from the next room and the sound of exciteable footsteps.

"Has it come yet?" Sirius asked cheerfully as he bounded into the room.

"Has what come yet?" Harry asked him eagerly, certain that his godfather would tell him what was up. However Sirius immediately quailed under the look Lily gave him and sat with a sigh next to Harry at the kitchen table.

"Guess that's a no then," he said dryly.

"What is going on?" Harry asked frustratedly looking from one adult to the other.

"You'll see in a bit," James said grinning, "Just wait and..."

"So we're still waiting?" another familiar voice said from the kitchen doorway. Remus Lupin stood there tiredly in shabby looking robes of a sort of greyish colour. Despite his often diminished appearance, today he appeared strangely bouyant as he looked at Harry.

"What are we waiting for?" Harry asked quickly before anyone could greet Remus, but like everyone else, the man simply smiled at him before sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Would you like a cup of tea Remus?" Lily asked him sweetly, already scurrying over to the kettle which sat on the stove.

"Oh, yes thanks Lily," Remus said returning her smile, "I left without having one, wasn't sure what time it would come."

"What time _what _would come?"

"Wait!" Sirius cried, "Why does Moony get offered a cup of tea and I don't?"

Lily sighed and flicked her hair out of her eyes as she poured milk into a mug.

"You're over here so much Sirius that I honestly think you can make your own cup of tea," she said with a pointed look, "and in anycase, I don't think you need the caffeine."

"You let her abuse me like this?" Sirius asked James with a mock incredulous tone, "do something about your wife Prongs!"

"Well I can't say I've_ let _Lily do anything," James laughed, "she does what she wants whether I want her to or not, and in this case I think she's in the right, actually, when it comes to you two she usually is."

"Well this is what you get for being a good friend," Sirius huffed, "If I wasn't so excited for the Pronglet to get his letter I would-"

"Letter?" Harry asked excitedly, catching his godfather's slip, "What letter?"

"Ah yes," Remus said dryly, sipping his tea, "you know how we were talking the other day about instances where you've put your foot in your mouth? This is one of them."

Lily and James glared at Sirius who tried to look indifferent.

"Oh shut up..."

"What letter Dad?" Harry said looking to his father eagerly, "Is it the Hog-"

Before Harry could finish the word Lily let out a squeal and pointed out the window. Quickly, everyone in the room turned to watch as a small black dot drew closer and closer on the horizon. Soon it was no longer a dot at all, slowly Harry began to make out the shape of a large owl swooping silently through the clear morning air towards their kitchen window.

It flew into the kitchen with stopping and landed gracefully on the kitchen table, right in front of Harry. There it paused, proudly sticking out it's right leg which had an envelope tied to it. Harry looked up to see his mother, father, Sirius and Remus all gathered around the table smiling.

"Go on Harry," his father said encouragingly, nodding towards the letter.

Harry tentatively untied the envelope from the owl's leg and it took off immediately out the window.

The letter felt heavy in Harry's hands, it was made of some kind of thick parchment. On it was written:

_Mr.,_

_The Kitchen,_

_Potter House,_

_Hertsmere borough,_

_Hertfordshire._

Harry grinned up at his parents before ripping the envelope open and pulling out the letter inside. He looked down at the paper in his hands and read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL_

_of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find inclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonogall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

As Harry finished reading the later he was suddenly being hugged tightly and kissed repeatedly on his forehead. His only clue as to who this person was was the flurry of dark red hair.

"Oh Harry!" Lily said proudly, pulling away for a moment to look at his face, "I can't believe you're going to Hogwarts...it seems like only yesterday that you were...just a little baby..."

James, seeing that his wife was getting emotional, immediately stepped in to rescue his son by tugging him out of his chair and into another fierce hug. This one, however, was followed by his hair being ruffled in a manner which led to him looking as though he had been recently electrocuted. Remus and Sirius also offered proud congratulations, Sirius' came with hushed advice on trouble making.

"It says," Harry said when he got a good look at his letter again, "that they await my owl?"

"Oh right!" Lily said hurrying off and returning a moment later with a sheet of parchment, a quill, and the deep black family owl, Midnight. She penned a short note before attaching it to the owl's leg and sending the bird off through the window.

"They want to make sure you got your letter," Lily explained to Harry, "and that you'll be attending Hogwarts in September."

Harry nodded at her, already getting out his list of Hogwarts supplies and books.

"When can we go get all of this?" Harry asked Lily excitedly. She looked over at James who shrugged with a grimace.

"I don't know if I'll be able to come with you," He said with a sigh, "They're keeping us quite busy in the Auror office...I might be able to take a day off next week."

"Speaking of work," Sirius said glancing at his watch, "We're going to be late, you know they've been talking about this new lead in France, I swear I never get a moments peace!"

"I know what you mean," James said groaning as he straightened his work robes, "We'd better get going then Padfoot," He kissed Lily quickly and ruffled Harry's hair again before making to dash off.

"Wait!" Lily called after him, she leaned up to whisper something in his ear, and he nodded, a serious expression on his face. Lily nodded then but her expression looked slightly worried. Harry wondered for the hundredth time that morning what was going on.

After his dad and Sirius had left for the Ministry, Remus soon made his own excuses to go. Harry could see that he looked very tired and was grateful that he had made an effort to come see him.

"I know you'll love it at Hogwarts," Remus promised giving the boy a hug before he left.

"What will you do when I'm at Hogwarts mum?" Harry asked after a long period of comfortable silence. He was out in the garden with Lily, watching as she planted seeds in the moist dark earth. She paused in her work and gazed at him thoughtfully.

"I don't know Harry," she said sprinkling water absentmindedly on the seeds she'd just planted.

"I mean, you've been teaching me," Harry explained, "but now you won't have to because I'll be at Hogwarts...Dad's been quite busy with work, won't you be lonely? I'll miss you..."

"Oh Harry," Lily sighed leaning over the churned soil to hug her son, "I'll miss you too darling, but don't worry about me, I'll be fine...as long as you write to me every day!"

Harry laughed and she poked him in the ribs playfully.

"Actually," Lily said after a moment, "I was thinking about getting back into making potions, I was good at it, I once considered making a career of it when I left school...I could make potions and bottle them and sell them to shops, you know, ready made. I always thought that that was something the wizarding community needed. You can never find certain potions ready made in shops, I think there could be a real market for it."

"I think you should definitely do that," Harry said encouragingly, seeing his mother get more and more passionate as she spoke and it made him happy to think that she would have something to keep her smiling like she was right then while he was at school.

"Do you?" Lily said smiling gently as she considered the herbs growing in one corner of the garden, "may be I will then...Of course it would be very challenging, starting up my own business."

"You can do it Mum," Harry said confidently, with such a serious expression on his face that Lily couldn't help but believe in him and therefore herself as well.

"I think I can do it too Harry."

**Alrighty...thanks for reading! Hoped you enjoyed this chapter...I know it isn't particularly long but the next one will be longer. Any guesses for what Lily was secretively whispering to James about?**

**I have a fic recommendation this week. It is for a story called 'The Marauders Reloaded' by Martini gal. If you like second generation fics then you'll like this. It's Martini gal's first fanfic but it's off to great start and will be extremely funny trust me. She is a great writer!**

**Love yous!**

**Till the next...!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, thanks for your reviews for the last chapter. You lot are truly awesome! I really look forward to reading your reviews so please, keep them coming!**

**Some points of interest for you...**

**Hertfordshire is a county in England and it's crest bears the picture of a deer. That, of course, is the reason I chose it for the Potters. However, even more interestingly, there is a town in the Hertsmere borough, in Hertfordshire, called Potter's Bar. It is believed by some that the town got it's name from a family, called Potter, who lived nearby in the olden times...**

**How's that for PERFECT!**

**I know I haven't updated in a while, I'm sooooo sorry because I know how frustrating that is! I've recently started school again so I've just been busy trying to get back into everything. I'll try to update whenever I can but I can't promise that there'll be a new chapter a week. Sorry!**

**I am possibly starting to bore you with my rambling so let's get on with it!**

Chapter 3

Friends Betrayed and Windy Days

James had finally gotten the day off. Since Sirius had found, at his old house in London, a small long forgotten picture of Peter in his animagus form it seemed that everyone in Britain was seeing him everywhere. After a few weeks of apparating all around the country only to encounter regular grey rats, usually of the common street variety, James had put his foot down and demanded an off day. He had been unable to see his family for more than an hour or two a day over the past weeks and he had had enough of it.

Nobody wanted to succeed in finding Peter more than he did, except perhaps Sirius who had spent eight years in Azkaban due to him. However James had spent the same amount of time unconscious and away from his son. Today he planned to relax and spend some time enjoying his family and his life.

Harry had been begging to go flying with him for a while, James hadn't had the time but today he was determined to play a small game with his son. Perhaps listen to the wireless with his wife and spend a quiet afternoon at home with his family. He had also been given the next day off and he and Lily planned to take Harry shopping for his Hogwarts things.

Sitting in the living room, he'd just told Harry to go up and fetch their brooms when emerald flames flikered in the fireplace and Sirius's panicked face appeared in the fire.

"James, we've got him," Sirius gasped.

James lept to his feet. Beside him, Lily gasped.

"What do you mean?" James asked urgently, "What's happened?"

"Arthur Weasley, he came in today and said he had Peter in his house," Sirius said, "apparently he's been living with them all these years as a family pet, he realised that his son's rat had to be the same rat on the posters when he noticed the missing toe. Aurors have been sent over there, I flooed over to tell you as soon as I heard, you'd better hurry down here Prongs it's utter mayhem!"

"Of course," James said almost dazedly, "I'll be right there."

Sirius' head nodded before disappearing in a whoosh of flames. James turned to Lily who was still staring, astounded at the fireplace.

"James," she breathed, "what will happen now? What will you do?"

"I..." James paused, unsure of what to say, "Peter will be taken into custody...He'll have a trial...it's out of my hands what the Wizengamot decide, most likely he'll be placed in Azkaban."

Lily nodded and stepped closer to James. She gently placed a hand on his cheek, making him look directly at her.

"Good luck," she whispered, knowing that her husband was sure to have a trying day.

"I'll need it," he said darkly turning towards the fire.

Harry came down the stairs in time to see his father disappear in a whirl of emerald flames.

"Where's dad gone," he asked his mother disappointedly, two broomsticks clutched in his hands.

Lily sighed sadly seeing the look on her son's face.

"You know Peter Pettigrew," she said, the name feeling strange on her lips.

"The man Dad's been looking for," Harry said, Lily nodded.

"Yes," she said coming closer to run a hand gently through her son's hair, "The Aurors have found him, they needed your Dad at work so he could help take care of the situation...He's very sorry but he had to go."

Harry hung his head a little but he managed to keep his voice from sounding too sad.

"That's okay," he said attempting to smile, "I understand."

Lily noticed his brave attempt to hide his disappointment and understood how he was feeling but she was unsure how to explain to her son the importance of that particular situation. She and James had merely told the boy that Peter Pettigrew was a criminal who needed to be brought to justice. They hadn't gone into much detail regarding the man's definite connection to their family, at the time, Lily hadn't thought her young son needed to be privy to such morbid information. Now, however, she wasn't so sure.

"Why does _Dad_ have to go?" Harry asked jolting Lily from her thoughts, "there are lots of Aurors at the Ministry, why did they call Dad when they gave him time off?"

Lily sighed and sank down onto a nearby couch. She patted the space next to her.

"Sit down darling," she said wearily.

This was going to be a long conversation.

oOo

James stared down at the small shivering man. He was fatter than James remembered and his hair was thinning slightly at the crown, his small watery eyes were wide and scared and sweat beaded on his forehead and ran in tiny rivers down to his neck. He was bound, kneeling, his hands and feet shackled with cuffs charmed to prevent the captive from using magic or shifting his shape. This quivering human being was his old friend, a man he would once have called a brother, Peter Pettigrew.

James cocked his head to one side as he regarded him. He had thought about this moment for months, almost rehearsed all the things he would say, all the things he would do, but now he found his mouth wouldn't open and his arms wouldn't move. He was forced to come to terms with the fact that regardless of whether this man had betrayed him, would have seen him dead, he was still someone James had loved and trusted. He was imobilised and suddenly felt as though he would be sick.

Beside him, Sirius growled and spat on the ground and few inches from Pettigrew's shaking knees.

"You are filth!" Sirius hissed menacingly, "You are nothing! You are more repulsive to me than the foulest piece of shi-"

"Sirius," James interjected, stepping forward and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he was surprised at the steady calmness of his own voice. He felt as though a war was raging inside him, his stomach was churning wildly and his throat was dry. He didn't want for them to stand there and throw insults at their once friend, even though he deserved them.

_Even though through his actions my wife and my son might have died..._

James clenched his fists and fought back his emotions. The hand that still rested on Sirius's shoulder shook slightly from the movement of the other man's body. Sirius was barely holding himself back aswell. James knew that if his temper was unleashed...

_Sirius would kill him..._

_Would I?_

_Could I?_

James looked away and shook his head slightly trying to empty those thoughts. He could not allow himself to go there. Peter's fate was in the hands of the Wizengamot, he could not contemplate exacting his own revenge, it wasn't possible. He wouldn't do that to himself and he couldn't let Sirius do it either.

He turned his gaze to Peter once again. The bound man's tearfilled eyes met his pleadingly.

"Why did you do it?" James asked, hearing his own voice crack slightly at the end.

Pettigrew's eyes darted around and he lowered his head, his breath coming in sharp short bursts.

Suddenly the blunt hard tip of a wand was pressed into his cheek.

"Answer the question!" Sirius growled, sounding much more animal than human.

"I-I..." Peter wheezed, looking from James to Sirius with wide, scared eyes, "James, Sirius...please..."

"Answer the question."

James stared the man down until he could no longer meet his gaze and his head hung once more. Sirius' wand was still pressed threateningly against his cheek and the dark man towered over him, sneering coldly. James was shaking with his own barely suppressed emotions. His last statement had been uttered as a low angry hiss and he was losing his battle for composure.

"I was...afraid."

The words were uttered so softly that both men had almost not heard them.

"What did you say?" Sirius asked in his intimidating drawl. The tip of the wand twisted in Peter's flesh painfully.

"I was afraid," Peter said a little louder, "You have to understand, the Dark Lord...he had powers...powers beyond us...beyond you...I couldn't...I'm not brave like you are...he made me...he said he would kill me. What could I do?"

"You could have DIED!" Sirius shouted, his face took on an almost crazed look, "You should have died rather than betray your friends!"

"We would have died for you," James said quietly, his anger was rushing up inside him in a flood and he was barely keeping it from pouring out and drowning the pathetic creature infront of him.

Peter whimpered casting his eyes around the room for any sign of help. There was none in the cold empty holding cell. He was there to await trial, powerful Aurors waited outside the door to lead him to the courtroom. Sirius and James were permitted to see him before he was taken away forever.

"How could you do that to us?" James asked bitterly, "how could you do that to Harry, just a tiny baby?"

"Please...please..." Peter continued to whimper and wheeze, rocking himself on the floor.

Sirius' lip curled in disgust.

"You are pathetic," he spat his dark eyes flashing with hatred.

"When you heard what had happened," James said steadily, "that Voldemort had fallen and Harry was alive why did you run? You could have turned yourself in! Why did you frame Sirius and have him locked away in Azkaban? You could've paid the price of your actions but you foisted it on others, how could you?"

"I was afraid!" Peter wailed, "please...please...leave me alone! I can't...I can't!"

"Oh you can Peter," James said harshly, "you will, you're going to tell us exactly why you did it, why you betrayed your best friends when we were always there for you!"

Peter shook his head, tears flew from his cheeks, landing in tiny puddles on the concrete floor.

"You're going to tell us," Sirius said moving his wand to the man's thick neck, "go on Wormtail...why did you do it?"

"The Dark Lord...he made me do it!" Peter screamed trying to move himself away from Sirius' wand, "he forced me to, he said he would kill me, he tortured me!"

"Did he put you under the imperius curse," James asked knowing the answer.

Peter shook his head dolefully, he knew it was no use lying.

"He was so strong, so powerful!" he squeaked, "he was unstoppable, growing stronger every day, everyone knew it...I knew it...knew it was only a matter of time-"

"So you turned spy to save your own miserable hide," Sirius with a mocking laugh, "how you became a Gryffindor I'll never know!"

"I didn't want to do it..." Peter whispered, "when I found it out it was you...that it was Lily and Harry-"

"Don't!"

Peter suddenly found himself with another wand pointing menacingly into his face. James' eyes were glassed over and stormy as he looked down at him, his teeth clenched with restraint.

"Don't you dare say their names," James thundered, "your filthy tongue isn't worthy of it!"

"Please," Peter whimpered hopelessly.

"I will not have mercy on you Pettigrew!" James said angrily, "You would have had my wife and child die at the hands of a vicious murderer, you would've helped him kill them!"

"No..." Peter sobbed, "please James...please...don't...don't..."

"I'll not kill you myself," James said, his voice hard as stone, "personally, I don't think you deserve it."

"He's right," Sirius said with devilish smirk, "It's alot worse where you're headed...trust me."

Just then the heavy black door swung open, a tall dark haired auror with grey streaked hair and a heavily lined face stood there.

"It's time," the man said in a hoarse voice.

oOo

Harry stared blankly at his mother trying to arrange his thoughts.

"He was your friend?" he croaked in disbelief.

Lily nodded biting her lip slightly, she looked down at her lap.

"Yes," she said letting out a sigh, "your father's friend, more than mine, but he came to be my friend as well, we trusted him very much and he betrayed us."

"Why?" Harry wanted to know, "how could he do that?"

"I don't know," Lily said, "I've often wondered what could drive a person to do such horrible things but I've decided I don't want to know...He is not the man I thought he was and I will never be able to forgive him for what he did."

Harry was astonished by the hardness of his mother's voice. She was an unusually kind and selfless woman, very forgiving and gentle, Harry had never heard her speak in such a way.

"Dad's going to lock him up?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.

Lily considered the question and found she did not know the answer. So much was shrouded in uncertainty. James did not have any control over the decisions of the Wizengamot. Aurors apprehended and took in the criminals but they couldn't decide what happened to them after that. Secretly, she hoped Sirius got in a good punch or two while he had the chance.

"I hope so, " Lily said in answer to Harry's question.

"And Voldemort..." Harry said remembering this integral character of his mother's tale, "he's dead?"

It would've been impossible to tell the story without mentioning it's most potent villain. Lily did not want to hide him from her son forever but there were certain gaps she left in her story, gaps she would fill later, when it was necessary. He was too young now, too innocent to know about the worlds greatest evils.

"He's..." once again Lily paused and considered his question. The truth was that no one knew for sure what had happened to Voldemort. She didn't really believe he was truly gone and neither did James or Dumbledore but she didn't know how to explain that to a ten year old. He was gone but he wasn't dead, not really. Would he come back? How was he still alive? She didn't know and it frustrated her.

"I'm not sure Harry," Lily said eventually, "but I want you to know that no matter what, you're going to be safe."

Harry nodded completely believing her words to be true.

oOo

A few hours later Harry was wandering through the house feeling a little bored. His mother was busy doing thing about the house and he wanted to fly on his broom. When his parents first bought him the broom for his birthday the year before he was introduced to something that quickly became his favourite pastime. Flying.

There was nothing more exilarating than flying through the air, feeling the wind whip past you, tousling your hair and stinging your cheeks. Quidditch just made it better. His Dad had taken him to see a Quidditch match earlier that year with Sirius and Remus, his mother had not been interested. Harry remembered vividly the wonder and excitement he'd felt from the start of the game to the very end.

He was desperate to get back on his broom again. Suddenly an idea sprouted in his head. Why couldn't he go flying? He had his own broom and he could fly very well on it. It would be quite easy to just go outside and fly for a little while, just till his Dad got home. Quickly Harry made up his mind, he rushed upstairs into his room and grabbed his broom.

He pelted down the stairs and through the kitchen, out the door and past the herb garden until he was looking at the large flat space, streching out for as far as he could see, that made up the grounds of the house.

Harry quickly mounted the broom and kicked off into the air, laughing aloud as his feet left the ground and he soared feeling the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. He completely forgot that his parents had warned him not to go flying without telling one of them first.

Harry quickly lost track of time practising quidditch moves and imagining himself as a famous player at the world cup, about to make the winning goal...

A sudden gust of wind tilted his broom but he clung onto it tightly and managed to right himself. Before he could even turn around the wind picked up once more and suddenly he was being blown this way and that. An unforeseen summer storm seemed to be brewing on the horizon and Harry found that he could not control his broom as well as he'd thought.

He began to get scared as rain started to pelt down and his hands grew slippery on the wood handle. He was barely clinging on as the storm flung him around making it impossible for him to land. His glasses became obscured by the rain water and he couldn't see where he was going. A particularly strong gust of wind threw him completly off the broom stick and he clung to it with just the tips of his fingers. But the rain continued to fall and then he was watching his broom being blown away and he was falling.

He became aware of a voice screaming his name but it was faint below the sound of the thunder.

**Alright then! That's it!**

**Hope you enjoyed reading that!**

**Love you lots if you did and even if you didn't. Just leave me a nice long review detailing your thoughts!**

**TILL THE NEXT!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, I love you all for your reviews and speculation on what will happen next. Everytime I see a new review I do a little dance, no lie. I am serious.**

**I was a little hesitant about tackling this chapter, only because I was unsure of how to have Lily and James punish Harry for his behaviour. It is difficult at his age to know what the right course of action would be. He is too old for corporal punishment in my opinion , and I don't rightly believe in that at the best of times, but what else could they do?**

**Now I know I haven't updated in an age and a half but I have been so literally swamped in assignments and projects that I haven't had the time or energy to do anything but work on them. I am so sorry for the time it took to get this chapter to you but I couldn't help it. I hope you guys understand that my updates will most likely be few and far between but trust me when I say that I am writing in every free moment I have. **

**Without further ado, I know I'm whittering on, I'll let you get on with it!**

Chapter 4

Broomsticks and Break Ins

"What were you thinking?"

Harry blushed brightly under his father's stern expression.

James had arrived home just to see his wife scurrying about in search of their son. At Sirius' suggestion they had decided to look for Harry outside and had literally been just in time to see Harry slip from his broomstick and begin plummeting to the ground. James had quickly slowed his descent and caught the boy gently before he could hit the ground. Needless to say, after Harry had been roused to consciousness, having fainted, and his parents could ascertain that he was alright, he was in alot of trouble.

"Harry," Lily said disappointedly, "you know you're supposed to let us know when you go flying."

"I know," Harry mumbled, "I just...well I wanted to fly and...I sort of forgot to ask you...I-"

"You weren't thinking," James finished for him, his expression hard, "you can't do things like that Harry, you're a good flyer but you're still learning. If we hadn't seen you in time-"

Harry looked at his father's tired and anxious expression and his mother's face, which still looked scared. He swallowed thickly and looked down at his lap.

"I'm sorry," he murmered pitifully.

Lily and James exchanged a look.

"Harry," James sighed, "I'm going to have to ban you from using your broom for the rest of the summer, if we can't trust you with it then..."

"No," Harry pleaded, "you can trust me, I just wasn't thinking. I won't go flying again without asking, please...They don't let first years have brooms at Hogwarts! I won't be able to fly for ages!"

"That's why it's a punishment Harry," Lily said firmly, "you're not supposed to like it, you could've been seriously injured today, or worse. I wouldn't have expected you would do something like this, banning you from that broom might just teach you to be more responsible."

"Besides," Sirius' voice startled them all as he stepped into the living room, "I don't think you're going to be able to fly this thing again Prongslet."

In his hands were the remains of the once gleaming Comet two sixty, Harry's prized possession. He gasped as he looked at it and turned to his father with wide damp eyes.

"Can you fix it?" he begged.

"I've already tried Harry," Sirius said pityingly, "but it's too damaged. Brooms can't be repaired so easily when they've been damaged like this. It blew into a tree with alot of force and smashed...I'm not sure I've even got all the pieces."

Harry looked down again and tears pricked in his eyes. Because of his recklessness, the first birthday gift he could remember his parents ever giving him was destroyed. He felt his mother's hand rest lightly on his back.

"Why don't you go upstairs Harry and think about what you did," She said in a kind but firm voice, "You can't go around being so reckless."

Harry nodded and stood silently, walking dejectedly out of the room. He paused by the door before saying once again softly, "I'm sorry."

Lily sighed and brought her hands up to cover her face, at the same time James raked a hand through his hair and sank down on the couch next to his wife.

"What a day, eh?" Sirius commented after a moment of silence.

"I was so scared when I saw him falling like that," Lily whispered, "I just froze..."

James glanced over at her and wrapped an arm around her comfortingly.

"It's just so unlike him," Lily continued, "He's such a good boy, I never would've expected him to...I just don't know...James if you hadn't been there..."

"Shh now Lily," James said worriedly when he saw her begin to look teary, he quickly pulled her into a hug, "He's alright now, he's fine."

"Yeah, and from the looks of things he never wants to see you upset with him again," Sirius said, "I was actually wondering when he would finally do something naughty, he _is_ an incredibly well behaved boy. Infact, if it weren't for him being the spitting image of you, I'd worry that he wasn't really your son James."

Lily finally looked up at that to glare at her husband's dark haired best friend.

"So you don't think much of my word then?" she quipped with a raised eyebrow.

Sirius merely smiled and shrugged.

"It's not just you Lils, you women have your own perogatives," Sirius said thoughtfully, "In most cases we men actually _do_ have to just take your word for it. I mean, when you look at it, the babies come out of _you_ lot, not _us_, and you might just be trying to-"

"Sirius," James interrupted.

"Yeah."

"Shut up."

Sirius simply nodded and smiled rocking back on his heels. He'd accomplished what he'd meant to. Lily was no longer getting emotional over Harry's accident, rather her feelings had taken a different turn. She was currently shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

"So," Lily finally aiming her glare away from Sirius, she sat up and dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her sleeve, "what happened at the Ministry, did they really find him?"

She watched as James and Sirius' faces darkened.

"Yeah, it was him," James said sombrely.

Lily looked down at her hands.

"So what's happening now?" she asked quietly.

"He's in trial at the moment," Sirius said, "They're holding him in the Ministry till that's over...He'll be off to Azkaban in a few days I expect."

"Or worse," James said darkly, exchanging a look with Sirius.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked looking from one to the other.

"Peter was not only an active Death Eater who betrayed us to Voldemort, he was also responsible for the deaths of thirteen muggles," James explained, "not to mention the fact that he faked his own death and framed Sirius, causing him to be imprisoned for eight and a half years-"

"He could be kissed," Sirius cut in harshly, "he'll be lucky if he isn't."

Lily shuddered thinking of the Peter she'd once known.

"I hate him," she said stiffly, "I hate him so much for what he did...But that...it's worse than death...I don't know how to feel about it."

"I agree with you," James sighed clutching her hand in his own, "I still don't want to believe he did the things he did, believe he _could _do them."

"The Dementor's kiss is barbaric," Sirius said, "I'd kill him with my bare hands for what he did to you, to all of us, but I could never watch that being done to anyone."

James nodded solemnly.

Just then emerald fire erupted in the grate. The head of the dark skinned and serious Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared between the flames.

"James Potter," He said in a grave tone, "you're needed here at the Ministry immediately."

"I'll be right along," James said standing up.

"Get here as soon as you can," Kingsley said, he suddenly seemed to notice Lily sitting on the couch, he nodded in her direction a small smile hinting at the corner of his lips. "Lily," he said simply in greeting and before she could even return his smile, he disappeared.

"He seemed anxious," Lily said worriedly as James smoothed out his robes and made sure his wand was in his pocket.

"I'm sure they just want to ask me some questions," James said smiling warmly at her, "It'll be nothing, I'll be back in an hour tops... I'll send an owl along if I'm not."

Lily didn't look convinced but allowed him to kiss her goodbye as he prepared to floo to the Ministry. Just as he was about to step into the fire he looked around at Sirius as though he'd just remembered something.

"You need to tell Remus what's going on," he said quickly, "he'll be pissed if he wakes up tomorrow and sees this all over the papers." And with that he went off in a whirl of flames after stepping into the fire and calling out his destination.

"That's right," Sirius said smacking his hand to his forehead, "I've got to go tell Remus."

"Why don't I just invite him round for tea?" Lily said quickly, "You can both stay here till James gets back."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, blushing slightly.

"I feel a bit out of sorts..." she said uncomfortably, "I don't want to be alone right now, what with everthing that's happened today."

"It's alright Lil's," Sirius said putting an arm around her shoulders, "I understand, but you're okay you know that right?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I know, I'm just being silly," she laughed lightly then frowned, "I just feel like something's happening, something strange...I don't know...Don't mind me, go call Remus."

She smiled brightly and walked off in the direction of the kitchen but Sirius stayed staring after her worriedly. He knew about Lily and her feelings, and they were nothing to be taken lightly.

oOo

"Is Dad still upset me?" Harry asked Lily one morning a few days later. She looked over the kitchen table at him in surprise.

"What?" She asked, "why would you think that Harry?"

The boy shrugged.

"I don't know..." Harry said shifting slightly in his seat, "he's been kind of...off, lately...I was just wondering if that had anything to do with me..."

It was Harry's birthday that day. He'd been awakened by his mother and father that morning singing him 'Happy Birthday', a beatifully iced cake bearing the words 'Happy 11th birthday Harry!' was plopped into his lap and he blearily blew out the eleven candles. However, only a few minutes later, an exhausted looking James had had to rush off to work.

"Oh Harry," Lily sighed smiling softly, "Your father's dealing with alot at work right now, that's all. They've been keeping him very busy at the Ministry."

"It's because of Pettigrew isn't it?" Harry asked, "Because they found him."

Harry had talked with his parents about the capture of the traitor, he'd also seen the news all over the Daily Prophet.

"Yes, because they caught him," Lily said calmly, "your Dad has an important job, as an Auror he's got to be ready to assist in investigations and trials."

Harry nodded understandingly and shifted his attention back to the piece of buttered toast on his plate.

"So," Lily said breezily, "I thought you and I could go shopping today for your Hogwarts things, we really can't leave it any later."

"In Diagon Alley?" Harry asked excitedly. He'd been there before of course, but only a very few times since he had first been reunited with his parents. He found Diagon Alley to be the most fascinating place he'd ever been, except Hogwarts which he was thrilled to begin exploring come September.

"Of course Diagon Alley," Lily said with a grin, "where else?"

About an hour later Harry tumbled out of the huge fireplace of 'The Leaky Cauldron' pub, coughing and spluttering. His Mother followed seconds later, not a hair out of place. She immediately began fussing over him, wiping soot from his nose. Harry blushed brightly and took over the job himself, disentangling himself from her grasp.

"I hate traveling by floo," He muttered, taking off his glasses to wipe the lenses on the corner of his shirt.

"Well you've got till you're seventeen to get used to it," Lily laughed, "Just make sure you pass your Apparation test."

As they walked through the pub Harry couldn't help but notice people staring at them, nudging and whispering to eachother. It seemed that where ever they went, his family attracted attention. Harry really didn't like and he knew his mother didn't either. Lily was determinedly ignoring the looks from the pub goers but her cheeks were pink and she looked very uncomfortable.

Just as they were about to exit through the back of the pub to enter the walled courtyard through which you entered Diagon Alley, a voice called out to them.

"Lily Potter?" A loud voice called out brashly, "Is tha' you?"

"Hagrid!" Lily cried, pleasantly surprised, turning around to face the biggest man Harry had ever seen in his entire life. Hagrid stood leaning against the bar, so tall that he had to stoop slightly to avoid the top of his shaggy head brushing the ceiling of the pub.

"Bin a while since I last saw yeh," Hagrid said smiling, the corners of his dark eyes crinkling cheerfully, "I see yeh got Harry wi' yeh, blimey he looks just like his father, got yeh're eyes though Lily."

"Yeah he does," Lily said smiling at her son, who blushed slightly at the attention being paid to him.

"Rubeus Hagrid," the giant man said thrusting a dust bin lid sized hand at Harry, "Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, pleasure to meet yeh."

"Nice to meet you too," Harry said returning Hagrid's handshake.

"What brings you here Hagrid?" Lily asked.

"On official Hogwarts business, me," Hagrid said proudly, he said in a slightly softer voice, "Summat I got to collect fer Dumbledore."

"Oh," Lily said nodding and something flickered in her expression that Harry didn't have time to interpret.

"We're here to get Harry's school things," She said brightly, "it's his first year at Hogwarts, we're heading up to Gringott's first I suppose."

"Well, I'm headed there meself, " Hagrid said, "I'll walk wi' yeh."

"So where's tha' Husband o' yours?" Hagrid asked as they walked along the cobbled street.

"At work," Lily answered with a sigh, "They're really working him hard over the trial with Pe- Pettigrew...Not that James wouldn't be like this all on his own, even if it weren't his job."

"Ah, well don' let him work too hard," Hagrid advised, "It won' do him any good."

Harry was busy looking at the numerous shops at their wares. Diagon Alley was crawling with people, especially, it seemed, teenagers and their parents. Harry guessed they were all there for the same reason as him, to get their Hogwarts supplies. As they passed 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' Harry noticed a group of young boys congregated outside the shop. Their noses were pressed right up to the glass and Harry heard one of them sigh reverently, "Look at it, the new Nimbus 2000, the fastest broom ever..."

Harry could hardly resist joining them outside the shop window when he caught a glimpse of the gleaming, brand new broom.

Lily caught her son's wistful stare and smiled to herself grimly. Little did the boy know that it would have been his birthday present if not for his behaviour a few days before. Of course, Harry didn't need to know that, that would just be torture.

They walked into the vast marble hall that was Gringotts. There were dozens of goblins carrying out business behind their desks, or else weighing mounds of gold and precious stones. Harry felt dazzled as he passed a particular goblin who was placing, carefully counting, a pile of glittering rubies onto a set of gleaming gold scales.

Lily smiled as warmly as she could as she approached a free goblin. He was eyeing her beadily, his face harsh in the bright light of the bank. Goblins always made Lily uncomfortable.

"Hello, er, goodmorning," She said as friendly as she could, "I'd like to take some money out of the Potter vault...I'm Lily Potter-"

"I know who you are," the goblin cut her off quickly, "have you got your key?"

"Yes," Lily said, pulling a small gold key out of her bag to show the goblin. He peered at it for a few seconds.

"Right, that seems to be in order."

Meanwhile, Harry was, almost unconsciously, listening in on the conversation Hagrid was having with another goblin.

"I've got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," Hagrid whispered, but Harry could hear the pride in his voice and see it in his stance, "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

Harry pricked his ears. The hushed tone in which Hagrid was speaking intrigued him, he wanted to know what it was he was talking about. He watched as the goblin's eyes scanned the letter.

"Very well," the goblin said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I'll call someone to take you down- Griphook!"

"Harry?" he heard his mother say. Harry turned from where he was watching Hagrid tuck the letter into his coat.

"Are you alright, darling?" Lily asked with narrowed eyes. She knew he had heard Hagrid's words and was curious. She loved Hagrid and trusted him greatly but she couldn't help but think that Dumbledore was making a mistake in giving him jobs of such great importance. Jobs that required great secrecy and subtleness. Hagrid was most certainly not subtle.

Harry flushed and nodded quickly.

"Er, Lily," Hagrid said hesitantly as a goblin, Griphook, came around the desk, "d'yeh think we can go in one cart, I get dreadfully sick on 'em see, I hate teh go alone."

"I don't mind," Lily replied and Griphook merely beckoned to them all with one long fingered hand, so she assumed he was alright with that. He led them out of the Hall and into a long twisting, dark corridor, faintly lit by the glow of flickering torches.

Harry was too curious to hold his tongue.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" he asked Hagrid.

"Oh, yeh heard tha' did yeh?" Hagrid turned faintly pink. "I can't tell yeh tha' Harry, it's Hogwarts business, very secret."

Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes, in both amusement and annoyance. Hagrid had in one swoop, increased Harry's curiousity and revealed to him that the item in question was one of importance.

Griphook led them down until the floor began to slope steeply and they could see the beginnings of little railway tracks, then he stopped and whistled. Out of the dark came a small cart moving swiftly towards them. It stopped right before them and Griphook immediately climbed in, followed by Harry then Lily and finally Hagrid managed to squeeze himself in after much rearranging by the others.

Harry thought that the trip down to his family's vault could only be compared to a rollercoaster ride. Although he supposed that a theme park ride could not be as thrilling. Gringotts was vast and obviously went down for miles and miles underground. Many times it seemed as though the incredibly fast cart was going to fly off the rails and plummet into the darkness below, but it would always veer at the last moment causing everyone to jerk uncontrollably.

When Lily had first stepped off the cart she could hardly stand, her head was spinning like mad. She'd had to bend over sligtly for a few moments of allow the blood to rush back to her head. She quickly collected the money she would need from the vault and almost hesitantly made her way back into the cart. Hagrid was leaning over the opposite side of it releasing soft moans.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he groaned as the cart started back up. Harry thought, but he wasn't sure, that he saw the corner of the Goblin's mouth quirk up in a devilishly amused smirk.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen appeared to be a large, black iron door. It had no locks or keyholes. It could have just been metal wall. Griphook got out of the cart with Hagrid this time and approached the door ahead of him. He used his long gnarled finger nails to stroke the door gently and it just melted away.

Harry craned his neck eagerly to see beyond Hagrid's huge frame and was instantly disappointed. The room was empty...except for the small grubby package that Hagrid picked up from the corner of the room. It was so small that Harry had not seen it at first.

"What is that?"Harry asked his mother as Hagrid tucked the package into his long coat.

"It is something very secret, which must be kept very safe," Lily said after a moment's thought, "Don't tell anyone about this alright?"

"Alright," Harry promised, his brow furrowed as he wondered about the little package.

oOo

After another roller coaster cart ride Lily, Harry and Hagrid stood in the sunlight outside Gringotts Wizard Bank.

"I'm headin' fer the 'Cauldron'," Hagrid said queasily, "I need a drink after tha'."

Lily smiled and patted the huge man's hand.

"Ok then," she said, "bye Hagrid, see you soon."

"I hope so," Hagrid tried to grin, "I know I'll be seein' Harry in just a bit won' I?"

After Hagrid had begun his walk back to the 'Leaky Cauldron' Lily pulled out Harry's Hogwart's list.

"Right," she said glancing over it, "Uniforms first I think."

Harry stood on the wooden stool as Madame Malkins rushed off to get some material, there was already another boy there, his robes had pins sticking out of them. A young witch was shortening the hem.

"Hogwarts too?" The boy drawled lazily, not even glancing at Harry. He had slicked back, white blond hair and very pale skin.

"Yeah," Harry answered as Madame Malkins came back with the material and began to take his measurements.

"What house do you think you'll be in," the blond boy asked, the stated in a superior tone, "I'll be in Slytherin of course, everyone in my family has been, _for centuries_."

"Er, I don't know," Harry said, "Gryffindor, I guess I'd like to be in that house."

"Oh," the other boy said shortly, "I suppose no one really knows what house they'll be in until they get there."

"I wonder how they decide," Harry said.

"You mean you don't know?" the boy asked scathingly but Harry could tell he didn't know either so he didn't say anything.

"Imagine, if you got put in Hufflepuff," the boy said after a long moment of silence, "I think my parents would pull me out of school!"

"I don't think my parents would be that bothered," Harry said tentatively.

"Really," the other boy said in mild surprise, "but I mean, they are..._our_ sort, right?"

"They're a witch and wizard if that's what you mean," Harry said, really beginning to not like him.

"Good," the boy said, "I don't think they should let in the _other_ sort, do you?"

"If you mean muggle borns then I'll have you know my mother's one," Harry said testily and glanced back at his mother who was waiting in the front part of the shop.

"Oh," the boy said and looked at Harry for the first time, "sorry."

He wasn't really sorry. The two boys didn't speak again. Harry had never felt more relieved than when he hopped off the stool and followed his mother out of the shop.

"There are alot of wizarding families who still feel that way Harry," Lily said when Harry told her what the blond boy had said, "but it used to be alot worse, when I first got to Hogwarts there were many people who wouldn't talk to me and showed how they felt about me being there outwardly, but I learned who my real friends are that are a lot different now, you can't say things like that anymore. That boy must have assumed you were pure-blood."

"Pure-blod?" Harry asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Yes, it's what they call themselves," Lily said sighing, "it means they haven't got any muggle blood in their families, most of the time it's a lie, if wizards didn't marry muggles and muggle borns they would die out."

The shopping trip was tiring but by the time they had gotten to most important item on the list Harry's excitement increased. A magic wand, he was about to get his own. He and Lily walked into the old looking store, the softest tinkling of a bell announced their arrival.

"Hello," came a quiet voice, barely more than a whisper.

Harry and Lily jumped and for the first time noticed the old man standing in the corner of the shop.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Ollivander," Lily said a little nervously.

"Lily Evans...well, Potter now," Mr. Ollivander chuckled softly, "eleven years old when you walked in my shop for the first time, Willow and unicorn hair ten and a quarter inches, swishy, wasn't it? Good wand for charm work."

"Yes, it was," Lily smiled.

"Your husband on the other hand favoured a mahogany wand and it's core was dragon heartstring," Ollivander said thoughtfully, " eleven inches, pliable, if I remember correctly...An excellent wand for Transfiguration."

"James' best subject."

"And now we have your son," Ollivander peered at Harry interestedly, "he looks very like his father..." he paused and his pale eyes widened, "Oh, but that's where..."

He trailed off staring at the scar on Harry's forehead. Harry self consciously raised a hand to flatten his fringe in order to hide his scar. He glanced at his mother but she was regarding Ollivander curiously.

"I'm afraid," Ollivander sighed finally, "that I sold the very wand that gave you that...Yew, thirteen and a half inches...Very powerful, and certainly in the wrong hands, it did terrible, terrible things..."

The old man seemed to become lost in his thoughts but all of a sudden he glanced back up at them as though suddenly remembering they were there.

"Well now, Mr. Potter," He spoke abruptly, startling Harry, "which is your wand arm?"

What felt like an age later, Ollivander was still pulling wands down from the rows and rows of shelves that lined the shop. Harry felt like he'd held almost every wand in the store. Each time, as soon as he held a wand in his hand, Ollivander would pull it away, muttering frustratedly to himself. Harry glanced nervously at Lily several times and she always smiled reassuringly in return. Sometimes it took time to find your wand, she knew this from experience, though it had not taken her as long as it was taking Harry.

"Hmmm..." The heard Ollivander murmer softly, "I wonder...it's an unusual combination, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Go on Mr. Potter, give it a wave!"

Harry tentatively reached out for the wand Ollivander was offering him. As soon as his fingers touched it a burst of warm flew up his hand and spread through his body. As he brought the wand up and swished it through the air, a shower of red and gold sparks erupted from the tip and the space around him sparkled.

Lily stood and cheered proudly but Ollivander merely stared at him intensely.

"How very peculiar..." he whispered as he regarded Harry.

"Sorry Mr. Ollivander," Lily said coming to stand next to her son, "but what is so peculiar?"

"My apologies, it's just that I remember every wand I've ever sold. It just so happens that the phoenix whose feather is in your wand gave another feather. And that feather happens to be in the wand that belongs to the very person who gave you that scar."

Harry shuddered and Lily wrapped an arm around him.

"I think we should should expect great thing from you Mr. Potter," Ollivander said in his eerie quiet voice.

"I think that will be all," Lily said rather shortly, "thank you Mr. Ollivander but we must get going."

What the old wand maker said troubled Lily. She tried not to let it show when Harry had mentioned his discomfort about the idea over their lunch but she could not help the sinking feeling in her stomach. No, it could not simply be a coincidence, but she didn't quite know what to make of it. She managed to steer Harry in a different direction as she talked to him about the small get together they would be having later in celebration of his birthday. However her mind was elsewhere.

It was just when she was about to suggest that they go get some ice-cream for dessert that a small boy dashed into the pub.

"Someone tried to break into Gringotts!" he cried out excitedly before dashing out again. There was a second of silent shock before, as one, the patrons of the pub rushed out to see what was going on. Lily waited, though she could see her son burning with curiosity, till everyone had managed to fit through the door before she and Harry went.

It seemed that everyone who had been shopping in Diagon Alley was now congregated around the massive white building that was Gringott's Wizard Bank. A ring of Auror surrounded the entrance to the building. One of them Lily recognised as Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was proclaiming loudly to the curious crowd, "Stand back, stand back, no one is allowed in or out until we have thoroughly investigated the situation."

There were cries of annoyance from those who needed to take out or change money and one man near the front of the crowd shouted out angrily, "My wife's in there!"

Lily managed to push her way to the front, keeping a tight grip on Harry's hand.

"Kingsley!" she panted as she came into his sight, "what's going on?"

The dark skinned Auror motioned her closer.

"A break in," he said quietly, "we don't know how it happened yet...The thiefdoesn't seem to be in the building any longer."

Lily looked like she was about to say more but suddenly it seemed as though a flurry of reporter had descended around them and they all began throwing questions like darts, their quills poised over suspended note books and the clicking sound the camera men's equipment filled the air.

"Do you think Dad's in there?" Harry asked his mother as more and more aurors seemed to be apparating onto the steps of the bank.

Lily nodded and gave him a strained smile.

"He might be," she said, "but I don't think there's any danger, you heard what Kingsley said...the person who was trying to steal something isn't there anymore."

"So then what are the Aurors doing?" Harry asked curiously.

"Probably trying to figure out what they were trying to steal," Lily said, "and why they were trying to steal it, that will help them them find out who the thief was."

It was only about ten minutes later that a thin balding auror emerged from the bank, leading a small group of scared looking people, mostly women, who were cluching their bags to their chests as if to use them as shields.

The Aurors who were keeping back the crowd broke their formation gradually as the people were let through one by one. The sound of the crowd grew louder along with the clicking of the cameras. Kingsley Shacklebolt withdrew into the bank and moments later, James Potter emerged. His hair more untidy than usual, his glasses askew and his face tense. However, his lips soon eased into a smile when he saw his wife and son.

He passed by the reporters, only pausing to say in response to their questions, "There is no need for a panic, the bank has been secured and nothing was stolen, a team of Aurors will remain through the night to patrol Gringotts and Diagon Alley for the protection of the people."

As he reached Lily and Harry he immediately pulled them away from the mass of people and back down the now relatively quiet street to the Leaky Cauldron.

"What were they trying to steal James?" Lily asked softly as they entered the stone courtyard behind the pub.

"They tried to break into vault seven hundred and thirteen," James said, responding to her question in a roundabout way, as though avoiding giving the correct answer. Lily seemed to understand though, her eyes widened and she brought a hand up to cover her mouth. Harry glanced from his mother to his father in confusion, all of a sudden he remembered something.

"Vault seven hundred and thirteen?" He said, "That's the vault that Hagrid had to go to, he had to pick up something for professor Dumbledore, he said it was Hogwarts business, very secret."

James looked at him sharply.

"Yes, only don't repeat that again," He said to his son, "the wrong ears might hear."

To Harry,his father's warning was ominous and he shivered slightly.

"Now!" James said in a tone that was just a bit too bright, "I think someone's got some presents at home to open, and some cake I'd like to sample."

With that he frog marched Harry into the pub, but not before giving his wife a significant look which she returned. A prickling feeling went down her spine and once again she felt that she felt that there was something wrong, something bad, happening. She suppressed those feeling for the time being, it was Harry's birthday and she had to be cheery. When he left for school she'd dedicate more to time to desciphering them.

**Ok, so that is that. Please don't be too angry about the wait. I really couldn't help it! And it's quite a long chapter isn't it?**

**Please review and let me know if you liked it!**

**Till the next...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everybody! Yes, I am alive!**

**Sorry for making you wait so long for this chapter but life has been busy and school is crapola! Well...assignments are anyway...**

**I hope you're all still reading because I worked hard to get this chapter to you. I know there're big gaps beween my updates and I can't help that at the moment, but trust me, I think about this fic all time and try to work on it when possible.**

**Anyhoo...without further rambling...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter 5

Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Click! Poof! Went the very odd looking camera in his father's hands. Quickly, James took another photo before Harry could complain. Harry had been made to pose in various parts of the house, wearing his new school robes, so that his parents could take pictures of him. Harry suspected that, after the first three, his dad would have been willing to let him go. However his mother was another story.

It was the night of August 31st and the next morning Harry would be leaving for Hogwarts. He was both excited and nervous and he had a feeling that his parents felt the same. Harry knew he would miss them terribly. After all, despite the fact that he had settled so well into life with Lily and James, he still felt the novelty of having parents when he had spent most of his life without them.

"Oh Harry," Lily said emotionally, "you look so handsome and smart!"

Harry flushed a little, tugging on his collar awkwardly. The snowy owl in the cage beside him squawked loudly in disapproval at having been forced to be the the pictures as well. Hedwig was her name, and she had been a birthday present from his parents.

"Alright," James chuckled, finally putting down the camera, "I think Hedwig's had enough."

"Yeah, so have I, " Harry said with relief, he unlatched the door of Hedwig's cage and allowed her to swoop out through the open window nearby. He knew she would spend the night hunting and then be back by morning.

"Can I go change now?" Harry asked, desperate to get out of his uniform.

"Yes, you can go," Lily said rolling her eyes jokingly and laughed when the boy dashed up the stairs. Lily watched him go and her smile became sad. It didn't go unnoticed by her husband.

"It's hard, isn't it," James said moving behind her to wrap his arms round her middle.

"Yes, yes it is," Lily sighed, "I feel as though I've just gotten to really know him and now he's being taken away from us."

James sighed himself. "Yes," he said, "It does feel that way, but Hogwarts is what's best for him, he'll be happy there."

"I know he'll love it," Lily smiled guiltily and turned to look at James, "I guess I'm just worried about myself and how I'll fare without seeing my son everyday."

James pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I know Love," he said, "I know."

oOo

"Harry you've got to get up now!"

Harry stirred slightly and pulled the sheets higher over his head. He was only vaguely aware of the voice calling his name and he honestly couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to whatever it was saying. He had been dreaming about flying through the clouds on his broomstick and he wanted to get back into his dream.

"Harry!"

Someone was shaking him now. He groaned and tried to burrow under the blankets to escape but the the person was persistent and suddenly the blanket was gone. The chilly morning air hit Harry at the same time as the curtains in his room were thrown open. The light assaulted his eyes and he squinted blurrily up at the indistinct form of his father.

"Here you go," said James, handing Harry his glasses.

Harry put them on and his vision improved drastically. He yawned loudly and stretched.

"What time is it?" he asked, his words slurred by sleep.

"It's about seven," James stated calmly.

"Seven," Harry yawned, "Why did I have to get up so early?"

"Well, I'm assuming you want to have breakfast, get dressed, make sure you've got everything packed and say goodbye to your mum and dad before you leave for Hogwarts," James said, "but if I'm wrong..."

"Hogwarts!" Harry said suddenly springing out of bed, "I forgot...I'm going to Hogwarts today!"

"Yes you are," James said putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and pulling him towards the door, "So let's hurry and make sure we get to King's Cross on time, yeah? Merlin, Harry! You sleep like the dead. Do you know your mother was up trying to wake you about five times before I decided to do it myself? Maybe she was being too gentle."

"Maybe..." Harry muttered, still rubbing his eyes after their sudden exposure to light.

When Harry entered the kitchen he saw, to his surprise, that Sirius and Remus were there.

"We came to wish you luck Harry," Remus said, and even though he looked just as tired as always, his voice was enthusiastic.

"Yeah Prongslet," Sirius grinned, "We had to come see you before you left. Don't you worry Harry, Hogwarts is going to be great. I spent the best years of my life there, I'm sure you'll love it!"

"Thanks," Harry said grinning at them both, "I hope I have as many adventures as you all did."

"I really hope you don't," Lily said with false severity as the three men laughed, "God only knows all the mischief you lot got up to! I doubt I even know a half of it!"

"That's a very fair assessment Lils," Sirius said cheekily, "although, I would guess, unless Prongs has gone and spilled all our beans, than you know much less than a half."

Lily scoffed as she helped Harry with his breakfast and sat down at the table with him.

"Well, Harry's a good boy, aren't you Harry?" she asked her son.

"Of course I am mum," Harry said looking up at her with doe eyed innocence, "I wouldn't ever break any school rules!"

The others laughed and Sirius whispered proudly to James, "He really is just like you Prongs. A proper little Marauder!"

After a quick breakfast Sirius had to rush off to work and Remus to another lot of his constant job interveiws. After that, the morning became an insane, hectic rush for Harry. Suddenly there was hardly any time left to get ready, make sure (for the hundreth time) that he was all packed and had everything he would need for his time at Hogwarts and say a quiet farewell to the only home he'd ever had. Yes, all too soon Harry found himself in the back seat of his parent's car, driving away from Potter House. He looked back as they drove away, watching till it disappeared around a bend.

"Why is it that we can't just apparate to Hogwarts?" Harry asked, the question suddenly popping into his head.

"Well, first of all, under aged witches and wizards can't apparate at all," Lily explained, "Even adults sometimes have trouble with it and prefer to use other means of travel."

"And then there's the matter of security," James added, "No one can apparate in or out of Hogwarts because of the powerful wards placed around the castle."

"Not to mention the sheer amount of people that would be popping up all over the place at the same time," Lily said shaking her head, "No, the Hogwarts express is much simpler. Plus, it's sort of a tradition now, there could probably be an easier way but the Hogwarts Express has always been how students got to Hogwarts."

"It's the first place you meet friends that can stay with you for life," James said, grinning at Harry through the rear view mirror.

"Oh, ok," Harry said nodding, "Tell me about the houses again, how is it you get sorted?"

"Another Hogwarts tradition, I think," Lily said smirking at her husband.

"Oh yes," James said with a secretive expression, "No one's parents can ever tell them how they were sorted, you've got to find out when you get there."

"That's silly," Harry grumbled, "I'd tell my kids."

"We'll see," Lily laughed.

"Anyway Sirius already told me," Harry said worriedly.

"Oh, did he now?" James said exchanging an exasperated glance with Lily.

"Yeah, he said you've got to battle a puffskein," Harry said nervously, "What is a puffskein anyway?"

"Harry, you really shouldn't listen to anything your godfather says," Lily said rolling her eyes as James laughed.

oOo

The steam rolled around the platform, coating everyone in it's white thickness. Despite the hinderance of the smoke to Harry's eyes, he still couldn't help but notice the sheer amount of people around him. It was incredibly crowded, people pushing and shoving, and noisy too, 'Oi you! You stepped on my foot!'. The air was brimming with nerves, excitement and just a tinge of bitter-sweet sadness. Platform nine and three quarters, Harry knew, was just the beginning of his adventure. He could feel it in his bones.

"Now," Lily said tearfully pulling Harry into a hug, "Don't forget to write will you?"

"I won't mum," Harry said returning her hug, "I promise."

Lily finally pulled away and wiped her eyes, allowing her husband to hug Harry.

"Have fun," James said clapping Harry on the back, his voice just a little more husky than usual, "and don't forget to learn a little bit as well, alright."

"Ok Dad," Harry grinned.

"You'll get our letter just as soon as you get to breakfast tomorrow," Lily said just as a whistle sounding.

"That's your que Harry," James said.

Harry turned to walk away and then looked back quickly.

"I'll miss you," he said softly

Lily let a few more tears escape.

"You'll be home before you know it Harry," She said with a sad smile.

"Sooner than you'd prefer I bet!" James chuckled to lighten the mood, "now go Harry, quickly, or you'll miss the train."

"Bye," Harry said knowing his father was right, the platform had cleared considerably and the train was most likely to start moving any minute. He turned and jogged up to the train, hopping into the carriage before turning to wave to his parents. They waved back, smiling, as the train slowly began to move. Harry waved til he could no longer see them, a lump formed in his throat as they disappeared around the bend, then he straightened himself up, cleared his throat and moved towards the compartment that he'd already stowed his trunk in. He was on the Hogwarts Express, he could only be heading towards something amazing.

**Erm...ok, so...not particularly proud of this chapter but I felt as though I should give you guys something. I feel awful when I don't update for riduculous periods of time, but like I said, real life is difficult to work around! Anyway, I hope you still like it a little. Leave me a review and tell me what you think.**

**Til the next...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Right...So I've been gone for ages haven't I? Sorry! I've been terribly busy with my mock exams and assignments and projects etc. Please don't be too angry with me! I couldn't help it. Hopefully you're all still reading this.**

**Anyway, I've made my excuses so...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter Six

The Journey

Harry sat in his compartment watching the houses and buildings of London whizz by. He felt both very nervous and very excited. From what his parents had told him, Hogwarts was the best place in the world and Harry couldn't wait to start exploring the castle and discovering it's secrets. However, there was still a very real part of him that wished he could be back at Potter House, helping his mother in the garden or playing chess with his dad.

It made him feel rather babyish when tears pricked in his eyes. Little did Harry know that almost every first year, and many of the older students too, were also holding back tears, or openly sobbing, at having to say goodbye to their families and, unlike Harry, most of them had known their families their whole lives. But Harry didn't know that, and having grown up with the Dursleys he had always recognised a need to be tough and put up a brave front, he couldn't remember a single point in his life when Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had cared if he cried.

His parents were not like that at all. Both seemed to be quite emotional and passionate people actually, and didn't hesitate to show their feelings. Still, Harry was sure that crying would not do any good, and it certainly wouldn't gain him any friends at Hogwarts, so wiping his eyes on the corner of his sleeve Harry resumed watching the scenery go by through the window. He jumped slightly in surprise when the compartment door slid open. A thin red haired boy with prominent freckles across his rather long nose stood there awkwardly.

"Er...Do you mind if I sit here," the boy asked, "Everywhere else is full."

"No," Harry said shaking his head. The boy nodded in thanks and quickly sat opposite Harry. There was a long moment of awkward silence as both boys sat unsure of what to say to eachother or if, indeed, they should say anything at all. Thankfully this was interupted when the door once again slid open. Standing there this time were two older boys, both completely identical, with the same red hair and freckles as the boy who sat with Harry, although they were not as skinny as he was.

"Oh good, you've found a compartment Ron," one of the twins said grinning.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to follow us where we're going," the other twin said with a mischievious smirk.

"Lee's got a giant tarantula!" Both twins said in enthusiastic unison.

Ron, who was obviously their younger brother or atleast some relation, paled considerably and mumbled a response. The twins snickered at his discomfort before turning to Harry.

"Alright?" one of them asked.

When Harry nodded a little hesitantly, he grinned.

"The name's Fred Weasley." he said proudly, tipping an imaginary hat.

"And I'm George," said his brother with dramatic bow.

"Er, Harry, Harry Potter," Harry introduced himself with much less flair. However that didn't seem to bother them as they gawked at him in amazement.

"You're Harry Potter?" Fred said staring at Harry so hard it looked like his eyes would pop out.

"Yeah," Harry said his face starting to feel slightly hot under their scrutiny. Even Ron had perked up in his seat to look at him with his mouth open.

"Wicked," George said looking impressed "so have you got the-"

"George, Lee's tarantula!" Fred said as though suddenly remembering, "he said to come quick before he has to hide it in his trunk."

"Blimey I almost forgot!" George said, "see you later Harry!"

"Yeah later!" Fred grinned as both boys sped off.

The twins were so noisy and hyper that when they left it seemed impossibly silent, even with the sound of the train and the other students in the background.

"So have you really got the...the...you know, " Ron finally spoke up in awe gesturing to Harry's forehead.

Harry raised a hand brushing his fringe out of the way for him to see his scar.

"So, that where You-Know-Who-?"*

"Yes, but I don't remember it."

"Really, nothing at all?" Ron asked seemingly eager for details.

"There was a lot of green light but that's all I remember really," Harry said shrugging, "I was a baby so..."

"Yeah I suppose," Ron said looking at though Harry had just divulged some amazing information.

Harry searched for a change of subject and came up with one.  
"So, were they your brothers?" He asked tilting his head towards where Fred and George had previously stood.

"What? Oh, yeah," Ron said, "They're in third year."

Harry nodded in interest wondering what it was like to have siblings.

"It must be nice to have brothers," he commented.

Ron grimaced. "Not when you've got five of them, and Fred and George are the worst of them!"

"Five brothers!" Harry said shocked, although he secretly thought that sounded quite nice.

"Yeah and a sister!" Ron said wearily, then he shook his head, "Ginny's not that bad actually."

Harry laughed.

"What's it like _not_ having brother's and sisters?" Ron asked after a short pause.

"It's quiet I suppose," Harry said, "it's just me and my parents...although I did used to live with my cousin, he was awful!"

Suddenly the two boys found themselves talking about any and everything they could think of. Harry wanted to know more about what it was like growing up in the wizarding world and Ron wanted to know what it was like to live in the muggle world so they had fairly even information to trade. Ron was just as clueless as Harry, however, as to how students were sorted into the different houses at Hogwarts.

"Dad wouldn't tell me when I asked him," Ron grumbled, "George told me you've got to do some sort of test though, he said it was really hard."

"My Godfather told me I'd have to battle a puffskein, " Harry revealed grinning when Ron burst out laughing.

"So what house do you want to be in?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindor, everyone in my family's been in Gryffindor," Ron said a little nervously, "but Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, Fred and George said they'd disown me if I was put in Slytherin."

"What about Hufflepuff?" Harry asked.

"Well...they're meant to be sort of...thick, aren't they?" Ron whispered.

Harry once again shrugged. "I hope I'm put in Gryffindor too," he admitted, "My parents both were so I think they want to be in their old house."

Before Ron could say anything the compartment door slid open to reveal a plump smiling lady with a trolley. Almost half an hour later the boys were still going through the small mountain of sweets Harry had purchased with the pocket money his Dad had given him. Harry had generously offered Ron some of them when he realised that all he had to eat were four rather squashed looked corned beef sandwiches. Said sandwiches soon lay forgotten on the floor of the compartment as the boys began the hunt for Ron's missing Chocolate Frog Card. When they didn't find it Harry decided to start his own collection he placed the one with Dumbledore at the very top of the stack.

When the scene through the window had changed from tall buildings to green fields and cottages Harry and Ron were interrupted halfway through eating a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Just as Harry was swiping at his tongue to get rid of the taste of a sardine flavoured one there came a knock on the the door of the compartment and short round-faced boy stepped in looking quite distressed.

"Have you seen a toad?" He asked tearfully.

Harry and Ron shook their heads.

"I don't know where he could've gone!" the boy moaned, "I haven't even gotten to Hogwarts and I've already lost him!"

"You'll find him," Harry said in an encouraging tone.

"Yeah, I mean he can't have gotten too far, we're on a train," Ron chimed in, "unless he jumped out a window..."

The round faced boy looked horror struck and he immediately dashed out of the compartment.

"Oops," Ron said cringing as Harry threw an empty sweet wrapper at his head.

An all out wrapper war had been about to begin when the compartment door slid open again.

"Hi, have either of you seen a toad?" said the girl who stepped inside, she had brown, very frizzy hair, and prominent front teeth, "Neville's lost his."

"We told him we hadn't just now," Harry said but the girl's attention had been caught by the mess of discarded boxes and wrappers that littered their compartment.

"It's filthy in here," She stated wrinkling her nose slightly.

"Well you can leave then," Ron said bluntly but the girl took no notice simply sitting herself near to the door.

"So, were you both from wizarding families?" the girl asked eagerly, however before either of them could answer she continued quickly, "I wasn't, I didn't even know about Hogwarts before I got my letter. I mean, I was excited of course! It's the very best magical school in the world, atleast that's what it say in the books I've read. They're all so fascinating aren't they? I can't wait to start learning magic! I've read our text books already ofcourse but they don't really prepare you for the real thing do they? Oh wait, I haven't introduced myself, I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

She said all this so quickly and finished off so abruptly that she left Harry and Ron staring at her for several seconds in shock.

"Ron Weasley," Ron muttered eventually, eyeing Hermione as though she were mad.

"Harry Potter," Harry said suppressing a sigh when he saw the girl's eyes light up.

"Are you!" Hermione said excitedly, "I've read all about you of course, and your parents! When I was in Diagon Alley all everyone could talk about was you and your parents, apparently you'd been there the day before, the day of the break in. Everyone thinks your dad is going to catch the one who did it. You're all in atleast three books you know, 'Modern Magical History', 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' and 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth century'!"

"Am I?" Harry said disconcertedly.

"Of course you are!" Hermione said, "You and your parents are probably three of the most famous people in the wizarding world! Didn't you know?"

Harry considered this silently. He'd known that his parents were very well known, even that they were all somewhat famous for the whole instance that occured on Halloween all those years ago. However Harry had been unaware as to the extent of that fame. This was all majorly due to James and Lily's attempt to keep his as far out of the spotlight as possible. As far as they were concerned, no young boy needed any of that. So Harry had definitely not had any idea that he had been written about in books.

Hermione continued to ramble on at break neck speed about everything to do with Hogwarts. Apparently she'd read every book she could get her hands on about the school. Harry vaguely suspected that she was trying to show off to them with all her knowledge but since neither of them were very impressed she eventually excused herself to go help Neville find his toad.

"Well, she was bloody annoying," Ron said said as soon as she left, "who cares if Hogwarts has got over two hundred toilets!"

Soon their conversation turned to a much beloved subject, Quidditch.

"What's your team then?" Ron asked after telling Harry about his, the Chudley Cannons.

"Wiltshire Werewolves," Harry said grinning as he thought of his Dad, Sirius and Remus who had always supported the Wolves.

"Do you play any Quidditch?" he asked Ron interestedly.

This prompted Ron to launch into a rather farfetched story involving a muggle helicopter. Harry suppressed his laughter by stuffing yet another pumpkin pasty into his mouth.

"So it's true then," came a voice.

Both boy turned to see three other boys standing outside the open compartment door. One of them was the pale blond boy Harry had met in Madam Malkins. He was the one who had spoken, he was eyeing Harry with a look of detached interest.

"You're Harry Potter?" the boy drawled superiorly.

"Yeah, I am," Harry said stiffly, he'd made up his mind back in Diagon Alley that he didn't like this boy, he was one of the people his parents had warned him against, one of the prejudiced pure-bloods. On either side of the blonde boy stood two big boulder-like boys who seemed almost too tall to be first years, both wore slightly vacant expressions though which gave Harry the impression that they were just as thick as they were big.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle," the blonde boy said, oviously noticing Harry looking at them, "and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Harry recognised the name. He had heard his dad and Sirius speak about the extremely wealthy, pure-blood Malfoys before. Mrs. Malfoy was Sirius' older cousin actually although there was no love between them and James often expressed annoyance at what he called Mr. Malfoys constant 'interference' at the Ministry. Apparently he had the Minister of Magic in his pocket. Harry was sure if Ron had heard the name before but he certainly found it funny if you judged from his poorly disguised snigger.

"What are you laughing at?" Draco Malfoy snapped, then he seemed to take in Ron and sneered, "No need to ask your name of course, red hair and hand me down clothes, you must be a Weasley."

Ron's ears turned bright red and he jumped to his feet. Malfoy ignored him as Crabbe and Goyle flexed their knuckles beside him.

"You'd better learn soon that some wizarding families are better than others Potter," Malfoy said, "You shouldn't make friends with the wrong sort."

Harry stood too and stared Malfoy down.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself," he said firmly, "infact I think you should leave."

Malfoy's lip curled.

"You better learn some manners Potter," he said angrily, "I suppose if you hang around with riff-raff like Weasley it'll rub off on you. Still, your parents didn't know what was good for them either, and you might not be so lucky again if you're not careful."

"Is that a threat!" Harry demanded stepping forward with Ron, both boys had their fist raised.

"You want to fight do you?" Malfoy asked amusedly.

"You want to find out?" Harry asked drawing his wand. He was fairly certain he could actualy do something if he had to. His dad and Sirius had, without Lily's knowledge, given him advice on what to do in a situation like this. He hadn't known he'd have to put it to use so soon though.

Malfoy eyed Harry's wand sceptically for a moment but obviously decided he didn't want to risk it as he stepped back a few moments later.

"Come on," he sneered as he left the compartment with his cronies, "we've got better things to do."

"Bloody Coward," Ron said slumping into his seat, "Would you really have hexed him or something?"

"I was thinking of trying the jelly legs jinx," Harry admitted, "I don't know if it would've worked but my Dad told me how to do it."

"Cool," Ron said his eyes wide.

Hermione popped her head round the door then causing Ron to jump.

"What now?" he asked testily.

She looked offended for a moment then seemed to shake it off.

"I only came to tell that you should change into your school robes," she said loftily, "I've just been up to the front of the train and apparently we'll be arriving soon."

With that she turned on her heel and huffed off. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry but both boys decided to heed her advice and got changed. The sky outside had gotten dark without them noticing and it was quite possible that Hermione Granger was right. The train soon started to slow down and a voice rang through the train proclaiming that they'd be arriving in five minutes. Harry and Ron exchanged a nervous look. This was it they were arriving at Hogwarts!

**Ok then, so I stayed up til 3:30 in the morning writing this because I didn't want to put it off any longer. You can blame any errors on exhaustion and also a lack of proper rechecking because I haven't the time to do so at the moment. sorry...**

**I really hope you liked this chapter.**

**The next one will probably be slow in coming...**

**Still leave me a review please and tell me what you think!**

**Till the next!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi! I've been away for ages haven't I? Sorry!**

**I've been extremely busy as of late, I hardly get anytime to do any writing...**

**Anyway I don't want to have a moan (God knows you don't want that either) So without further ado...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter 7

Late Night Drinks and Early Mornings 

When Lily and James learnt that their only son had earned a place in their former house their pride could not be contained. Sirius and Remus were promptly summoned to join in the celebration and all of them helped to write a lengthy congratulatory letter to Harry and sent it off with a boxful of the boy's favourite sweets so that in the morning he'd have some owl mail to look forward to.

It was late into the night when Remus finally left the Potter household, Sirius had already passed out on the couch. The old friends had spent the night reminiscing about the 'good ol' days' they'd shared at Hogwarts and the men actually got a bit misty eyed and sentimental, especially after Sirius insisted on opening a bottle of Firewhisky. He ended up drinking most of it himself, hence the passing out on the Potters' couch.

Lily rolled her eyes in amusement and tisked with annoyance but brought out a blanket anyway and covered the snoring man with it. Shortly afterwards the others decided to call it a night and retired for bed. James already regretting having his fair share of Firewhisky as he had to get up early for work the next morning. He comforted himself with the knowledge that Sirius would be much worse off than him.

As Lily turned down the covers that night she had a sudden thought.

"James?" she said softly slipping under the duvet.

James turned to her bleary eyed, and sat up slightly.

"Yeah Lils?" He asked stifling a yawn.

"He'll be alright won't he," Lily asked.

"What? Sirius?" James said confusedly, "Don't worry about him, he's been drunk loads of times. Despite what he says, he really can't hold his drinks. Remember that time in Sixth year when he stole that bottle of mead from The Three Broomsticks? I thought I'd die laughing when he wandered into the Great Hall in his pants... Mind you, he'll have a rough go getting up tomorrow-"

"No not Sirius" Lily said quickly cutting off what was sure to be a long ramble because despite what _he_ said, James Potter was quite tipsy himself, and James always rambled when he was drunk.

"I was talking about Harry," Lily admitted quietly, "I worry about him...He's very like you after all."

James chuckled, his eyes closing slowly as he tried to ward off sleep. "He'll be fine Lily," he said huskily, "Hogwarts is completely safe, and besides, he's much more like you."

"You're right of course," Lily sighed settling herself into her pillow and turning off the lamp beside her, "still, I can't help but worry about him, especially since _it _was moved there."

James suddenly seemed more awake. "You know we're not meant to talk about that," he said almost sternly.

Lily sighed again. "I know," she said petulantly, "I still think that was an awful idea."

"Hogwarts is the safest place for it,"James said firmly but so softly that Lily could barely hear him.

"Everyone thought that about Gringotts too," Lily whispered, "and look what happened."

"Look, Lily, the highest security you can imagine has been put in place," James argued gently, "Harry is completely safe, trust me, if I didn't believe that then I'd be on the same page as you. There's nothing to worry about."

Lily sighed again but said no more on the subject, allowing her husband to pull her into his arms and kiss her hair gently before he succumbed to exhaustion. However it was a long time after that before Lily was able to relax enough to fall asleep. Something had been nagging at the edge of her mind for a while. Something she simply could not ignore, and it scared her more than anything.

oOo

"Come on Sirius!" James shouted shaking his friend roughly. He'd been trying for almost fifteen minutes to get Sirius up. Sirius merely responded to his attempts by snuggling deeper into the cushions surrounding him and pulling his blanket over his head.

"Bloody Hell, man!"

"Honestly James, you'd think after all these years you'd know how to handle these situations," Lily quipped as she strode into the front room. As quick as a whip she drew her wand from her pocket and pointed it directly at Sirius.

"_Aguamenti_!"

"AHHHH!"

Sirius shot up, his hair sopping wet, only to double over again, shielding his eyes from the light pouring in from the windows.

"What the bloody hell was that for!" a muffled but angry voice sounded from underneath his arms.

"You were being difficult," Lily said brightly, "I helped James along."

"I was going for the gentler approach," James supplied, looking a little green himself.

"Ugh, stop shouting," Sirius croaked, "Merlin, my head hurts...I-I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Sirius Black, don't you dare sick up in my living room!" Lily warned. Her slightly raised voice made Sirius groan again.

"Why did you lot let me drink that much," Sirius moaned accusingly.

James shook his head in amusement and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Well, you know how you are mate," James said, finally pulling his best friend into an upright position, though Sirius kept his eyes tightly closed, "Once you start there's really no stopping you. Anyway, you've got to get moving, we've got work to do. Lily fixed us up some Hangover potion...you might need a double dose as it is... so-"

"Oh No! Not work," Sirius groaned, "I can't go in like this, Scrimgeour'll have a fit."

"Yeah, that's why we've got to get you cleaned up, so come on, up you get."

Half an hour later both men were meeting head of the Auror department Rufus Scrimgeour in the Leaky Cauldron. He took one look at the pair of them and narrowed his eyes.

"Late Night drinking, boys?" he said shortly.

James rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Yes sir, my son, Harry, he was sorted into Gryffindor last night, I'm afraid we got carried away with celebrating."

"Hmm," Scrimgeour looked them over, "I trust you're up to form this morning, despite last night's 'celebrations', this is serious business, I can't afford you two making mistakes because you've come in half drunk."

"We're not Sir," James said quickly, elbowing Sirius sharply because he was just standing there not saying anything. To Sirius this felt all too similar to being told off like a naughty school boy for wrong doing and, despite his many school day wrong doings, Sirius hated nothing more than being told off. In any case he knew he had to make an effort.

"We are sorry Sir," He said turning on his inherrent 'Black' politeness, "we are both completely capable of working productively today."

Scrimgeour merely grunted before turning on his heel and striding away, leaving them to follow him quickly. Kingsley Shacklebolt was there too as he was also working on the Gringotts case.

"Congratulations on Harry making Gryffindor James," Kingsley said in his deep melodious voice, "He's sure to be a great wizard one day."

"Thanks Kingsley," James said, then chuckled lightly, "Hopefully he won't follow my example too much."

"Eh, that boy needs some fun," Sirius cut in, "a little trouble never did us any harm James."

"Yeah well, my mum wasn't much like Lily," James said then frowned, "Lily wouldn't let Harry get away with half the things my mum turned a blind eye to. She was a saint that woman, I don't know how she put up with me."

"Alright, that's enough of that!" Scrimgeour said suddenly as they came to a halt outside of Gringotts, "I need all three of you to be completely focused today, this is the last time we'll be searching the Bank. I don't suppose we'll find anything else out of the ordinary but it's worth one last look around, whoever was after 'item X' must've been a highly trained wizard but everyone leaves some tracks, don't underestimate this one men."

.

.

.

.

.

Half a day later neither James, Sirius, Kingsley nor Scrimgeor himself had found any additional evidence. When asked, again, if they had seen any suspicious characters in the Bank on the day of the break in the Goblins merely repeated what they had said all along. 'No'. They had not seen anyone who was not regular and trusted customer enter the bank at anytime that day. They also repeated that they had yet to understand how the theif had not only managed to break in, but also get back out again with minimal detection.

"No one," said one Goblin, "No one has ever broken into one of our vaults and lived to tell the tale, it is impossible."

oOo

"Well it obviously isn't," Sirius huffed as the men walked back the the Leaky Cauldron at the end of the day.

Scrimgeour had stayed behind to do last minute revisions on some of the information the Goblins had given them. James couldn't see why, none of it was of consequence.

"It's as if this thief was a ghost," Kingsley murmured, "he vanished without a trace."

"Hmm," James concentrated, "maybe there's something to that..."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked raking a hand through his long hair frustratedly.

"Well that Goblin said no one's ever made it out alive," James said, "and you've seen the protection that vault had...well, nothing...Human, could've made it out of there alive."

Kingsley and Sirius looked pensive.

"But why would a ghost need...it?" Kingsley asked eventually.

"I don't think it could've been a ghost," James said shaking his head, "I'm only suggesting that maybe we've been looking in the wrong way, maybe this was some other kind of creature."

"Well, we know 'item X' gives ever lasting life," Sirius whispered lowly, "but can it give life to something already dead?"

All three men shuddered at the thought.

**So I know this is quite short...**

**Sorry...**

**I just thought that a short chapter is better than no chapter at all right? Let me know whether you like this chapter or not by pressing the little button right...**

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	8. Chapter 8

**So, I know you've been waiting far too long for this chapter and I feel awful! Sorry! But Hopefully this chapter is good enough to make it up to you, especially if I wasn't able to reply to your review...once again sorry! I've been busy, I know that's my usual excuse but it's the truth. Sigh...**

**Anyhoo, I know what you really want to do is read the new chapter so without further ado...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter 8

Potions, Quidditch and Draco Malfoy

Harry's first week at Hogwarts passed quickly but eventfully. The school was every bit as vast and labrynth-like as Harry had suspected it would be and he felt lucky to have visited it before, otherwise, he was certain, its twisting corridors and moving staircases would have been even more of a trial. As it was, he had Ron had been late by almost fifteen minutes to their first lesson of all, History of Magic. Although, it had to be said, the ghostly teacher, Professor Binns, hadn't even noticed and Harry ended up almost falling asleep in his class anyway.

Professor Flitwick who taught Charms had squeaked exitedly when he noticed Harry in his class for the first time. Later, as everyone concentrated on memorising the correct incantation for a hovering charm, he crept over to Harry.

"Mr. Potter, how wonderful it is to see you here at last, " he said with a whiskery smile, standing next to Harry's desk his face barely peeked over the top. "I knew your mother you know," he continued blithely, "I taught her in this very class, most talented at Charms she was, I'll be expecting great things from you as well ."

Infact, Harry noted grimly, almost every one of his teachers made mention to him of how talented atleast one of his parents had been at the subject which they taught and Harry sincerely hoped that they didn't honestly expect him to have inherited all, if any, of his parents talent. Two notable exceptions to this were Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

Harry's parents had already told him about Professor McGonagall so he was unsurprised by her stern manner. However he was surprised that, considering the fact that she knew his parents well and his father had infact excelled in her class, she made no mention of them at all. Infact she afforded Harry no more attention than she did any other student in her class and for that Harry felt eternally grateful.

Professor Snape, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. Unlike McGonagall who gave Harry just as much, or as little, attention as everyone else in her class, Professor Snape deliberately singled Harry out in what Harry considered an attempt to make a fool of him.

"Harry Potter," Snape had read out from the register on Harry's first day in his class, "our new...celebrity..."

Harry heard Draco Malfoy and his friends snigger appreciatively at this and flushed uncomfortably under Snape's scrutiny. The rest of the class continued in a similar vein.

"Potter!" Snape had called out suddenly, "what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione Granger's hand shot up. Harry had frozen. He recognised the names of the plants Snape had said from his mother's herb garden and potion making, however he had no idea what happened when they were put together and so was forced to admit his ignorance infront of the class.

"Clearly fame isn't everything, is it Potter?" Snape tutted and Harry thought he detected a certain relish in his cold dark eyes, "Tell me, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione's hand rose even higher. Once again the word struck a familiar chord in Harry's memory and he was certain he had read about it in one of his text books but he couldn't remember what it was and certainly not where it could be found. Did Snape expect him to have memorised his entire text book?

"Thought you would get by without reading a book, did you?" Snape sneered, "what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know sir," Harry snarled frustratedly, "but maybe you should ask Hermione, she seems to."

It was then that Harry lost his first point for Gryffindor. By the end of that first lesson Harry was certain that Snape hated him.

"It's more than just the fact that I'm in Gryffindor," He assured Ron as they went to meet Hagrid.

Ron had been telling him how Snape was reknowned for a favouritism for the students of his own house, Slytherin, and his apparent dislike of all the students of Gryffindor.

"No, it's _me_ he doesn't like," Harry said angrily, "but what did I ever do to him?"

Hagrid was entirely unhelpful in the matter of solving the mystery of who Snape hated him.

"Don' be silly Harry," Hagrid had said as he served them his homemade rock cakes, "Why would Professor Snape hate ya?"

However Harry couldn't help but notice he had a shifty look in his eye. Before he could question him further, he caught sight of a newspaper on Hagrid's table.

"Hey, that's my Dad," Harry said frowning as he reached for it. Sure enough the newspaper's headline was, 'Aurors in Turmoil Over Gringotts Robbery!'. A picture of a grim looking James, an exasperated Sirius and a tired looking Kingsley Shaklebolt graced the cover.

"Huh?" Ron asked peeking over Harry's shoulder, "What does it say then?"

Harry began to read outloud.

**"Aurors in Turmoil Over Gringotts Robbery!**

_Gringotts Wizard bank has been known for centuries as one of the safest places in all of Britain and even the world! However, since July's break in, the Bank's reputation as being absolutely secure has been tarnished, despite the fact that it was immediately made clear to the public that the thief was unable to steal anything. _

_Later it was discovered by Daily Prophet reporters that this was because the item that the theif had been attempting to steal had been emptied from its vault earlier that very day! Still, the wizards and witches of Britain are left to wonder how this mysterious thief managed to even get beyond the Bank's security in order to find and open the vault. In times like these we look to those who are bound by duty to protect and serve the public, our Aurors, however they seem to be just as stumped as we are!_

_Auror James Potter, father of the fam_...wait is that really necessary" Harry cut off to glare at the paper. He was still feeling very sore about the subject of his fame, especially since Snape's lesson.

"Go on!" Ron said impatiently. Harry grumbled a little but began to read again.

"-_Auror James Potter had only this to say, 'We are doing our best to track this thief and work out how they managed to get past Gringotts' defenses which, I must insist, remain the best in the world. The wizarding community doesn't need to worry about their own possesions being taken from the Bank, rest assured no one is getting into Gringotts without us noticing.'_

_Far from the reassuring tone that James Potter tried to convey, his comment reveals frightening news. The Aurors are nowhere near close to catching this no doubt dangerous criminal or determining how they managed to get past Gringotts' powerful security. Now caution must be necessary, for who knows when this dark thief will strike again?_"

Harry groaned tossing the paper back onto the table.

"Rita Skeeter again," he said, "my Dad must be really annoyed. She's always trying to get everyone riled up."

"Yeah," Ron said nodding sagely, "my Dad's always going on about her blown up stories...wonder what it was though."

"What?" Harry asked distractedly.

"The thing the thief was trying to steal," Ron clarified, "I wonder what it was..."

"Huh, oh yeah," Harry said in agreement, even as he glanced over at Hagrid who had been suspiciously quiet for the last few minutes and who was now vigorously sweeping the floor with a nervous look on his face.

Harry remembered Hagrid taking the small grubby package from vault 713 and once again wondered what it possibly be. He knew it had to be important from the way his parents and Hagrid himself acted about it, and he burned with curiousity. However he also knew that whatever it was had to be dangerous, after all, why else would everyone be so determined to protect it? He remembered his mother's words, _"It's something secret which must be kept very safe," _and decided not to say anything more about it.

oOo

In many ways Harry considered Draco Malfoy incredibly similar to his cousin Dudley. Yes he was infinitely skinnier and quite a bit more intelligent, but the two boys shared a common goal, and that was to make Harry miserable. So it was to Harry's great displeasure when he saw a notice pinned up the Gryffindor common room stating plainly that all Gryffindor first years would be recquired to take flying lessons, with the Slytherins, that coming Thursday.

"Why are we always paired with Slytherin?" Ron asked no one in particular.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "Just what I needed, more time with Malfoy."

Truthfully, Harry was excited about getting an opportunity to fly again. There was no other feeling like it in the world as far as he was concerned. Ron agreed wholeheartedly and was filled with stories of he and his brothers' flying escapades. Infact, almost everyone seemed to be filled with excitement about the upcoming flying lessons. Malfoy himself was strutting about the school loudly proclaiming his skill in flying. Seamus Finnigan, who shared a dormitory with Harry and Ron, talked endlessly of how he'd spent the entire summer up in the air. Neville Longbottom however seemed terrified by the prospect.

"I've never been allowed on a broom," He said nervously when he'd heard about the lessons, "My gran never let me near one."

Hermione Granger was almost more nervous than Neville. She spent the days leading up to the flying lesson with her nose buried in any books she could find in the library about flying or brooms. At breakfast on Thursday morning she was still devouring a thick pile of books.

"Look Neville," she said pointing out a page in a book called 'Quidditch Through the Ages', "it says you should keep your back straight if you want to go slow and lean forward if you want to go fast."

"How do you stop?" Neville gulped looking pale.

Hermione's answer was interrupted by the arrival of Owl Post. Harry didn't see Hedwig's destinctive pure white feathers, or the deep black of his parent's owl Midnight, and was unsurprised, his parents had sent him a lengthy letter the day before. However, across the table a brown barn owl delivered a package to Neville from his grandmother.

"It's a Remembrall," Neville said excitedly when he opened it.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"It's supposed to help you remember if you've forgotten something," Neville explained, "See, you're supposed to squeeze it like this and if it turns red- oh!"

The glass ball in his fist suddenly glowed scarlet.

"So, what've you forgotten?" Seamus asked grinning.

"I-I don't remember..." Neville said to everyone's amusement.

"Hey, what've you got here Longbottom?" Malfoy said suddenly appearing behind Neville and snatching the Remembrall from him.

Harry lept to his feet, Malfoy had been grating on his nerves all week and he was already on edge.

"Give it back Malfoy!" he ordered.

"Oh? And who's going to make me?" Malfoy sniggered.

"What's going on here?"

Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared eyeing Harry and Draco sternly.

"Malfoy took Neville's Remembrall, Professor," Ron said quickly and Draco scowled.

"Was just looking," he said angrily dropping it back in front Neville.

"Right, Mr Malfoy return to your House table," Professor McGonagall said dryly, "Mr Potter, sit down!"

oOo

That afternoon the First year Slytherins and Gryffindors congregated on the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a crisp, cool, windy day, the grass rippled under their feet and the distant trees of the Forbidden Forest swayed in the breeze. The first years each took a place beside the twenty broomsticks that were layed out in two rows on the grass. Harry noticed that each broom was decidedly worn and battered looking and he guessed that the one he'd chosen might've been in reasonably good condition during his father's days at Hogwarts judging by the look of it. He just hoped it wasn't so old that he couldn't get it off the ground.

"Let's Begin!," their teacher Madam Hooch called loudly, she was a rather robust looking woman with short grey hair and sharp yellow eyes.

"I want you stretch your hand out over your broom," She instructed, "and then say firmly, 'Up!'"

Harry wondered what sort of bazaare method that was, as he was accustomed to simply mounting a broom that was already in his hand. Nonetheless he followed her instruction along with the rest of the class and was delighted when the broom flew swiftly up to meet his palm. Others, Hermione and Neville, were having much more difficulty. Hermione actually seemed to be telling her broom off.

"That just shows you there are no limits to her bossiness," Ron whispered to Harry.

When everyone finally had a broom in hand, Madam Hooch continued her lesson.

"Now, I want you to mount your broom," she said peering at them all keenly as they did as she said, "Tighten your grip Mr. Longbottom! I don't need anyone slipping off the end!"

Neville whimpered.

"Alright, now when I blow my whistle, everyone should kick off from the ground hover for a moment and then touch back down, understood?" She asked severely, and everyone nodded "Alright, on the count of three, One...Two...Mr. Longbottom!"

Neville, nervous of being left behind, pushed off too quickly and had his broom pointed upwards too high, he shot up into the air quickly with no idea how to control it.

"Come back!" Madam Hooch shouted but Neville was screaming too loudly too hear her as he continued to zoom upwards into the sky. Suddenly he seemed to look down and notice just how high up he was, with that he slumped sideways and slipped off his broom, plummeting towards the ground. The class screamed but Madam Hooch was already in motion as she dashed forward to catch Neville. Despite this, he landed with a sickening thud and everyone rushed forward to gaze worriedly down at him lying on the grass.

Madam Hooch was busy checking him for injuries. "He's fine," she said in a relieved tone, "Just a broken wrist I think, lucky boy, I'll just have to take him to the Hospital Wing." She lifted the whimpering Neville up, supporting his shoulders and turned to the others, "If any of you takes a broom into the air before I get back you'll be on the train back home faster than you can say Quidditch!"

In her absence everyone began talking excitedly about Neville's accident.

"Did you see his face?" Malfoy scoffed, "I thought he was going to be sick!"

Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly.

"Leave him alone, he could've been really hurt!" said Parvati Patil.

"Worried about your boyfriend Parvati?" Pansy Parkinson asked nastily and Parvati rolled her eyes.

"Look! what have we got here?" Malfoy said suddenly dashing forward to the place where Neville had fallen, "It's that stupid ball Longbottom had at breakfast."

"Give it here Malfoy," Harry said.

"No Potter," Malfoy smirked, "I will not give to you, I think maybe I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it...Like on the roof!"

"Give it to me!" Harry said lunging at Malfoy but the blonde boy leapt onto his broom and took off into the air. Harry admitted to himself grudgingly that Malfoy really could fly well, even as he climbed onto his own broom.

"Harry no!" Hermione cried, "You'll get in trouble, you'll be expelled!"

But Harry ignored her and kicked off into the air. For a moment he forgot about Malfoy and the Remembrall and just focused on the blissful feeling of the wind rushing through his hair. However, all to soon he opened his eyes and focused on Malfoy who was looking quite nervous now, not expecting Harry to actually follow him into the air.

"Come on Malfoy, " Harry said drawing closer to him quickly, " Give it to me!"

Malfoy looked worried for a moment then smiled wickedly.

"If you want it Potter, go get it!" He called and with that he drew his arm back and tossed the Remembrall into the sky. Harry barely had time to see in glinting in the sunlight before he was speeding down, chasing the falling ball. He heard the wind rushing past his ears, the sounds of his class mates screams and the beating of his own heart but the only thing he saw was the ball. Just a foot from the ground he stretched out his hand and caught it, landing softly on his feet. In that split second before his cheering class surrounded him he thought, reflectively, that he would've caught the Remembrall alot sooner had he had his own broom.

"Harry Potter!"

The stern voice of Professor McGonagall sounded from across the field. She was running towards them. The rest of the class quietened immediately.

"Never, in all my time at Hogwarts have I seen such a display!"

"Professor, Harry was only-"

"Shh, Miss Patil-"

"But Malfoy-"

"Be quiet Mr Weasley," Professor McGonagall said still staring at Harry, "Mr Potter come with me."

_This is it_, Harry thought as she led him up to the castle, he was going to be expelled before he'd even been at Hogwarts two weeks. He thought about his father and Sirius and Remus and all the mischief they'd gotten up to in their day. They still made it through school without being expelled. A nasty voice in his head whispered '_they were probably clever enough not to get caught'_. Then he thought of his mother and how disappointed she would be and imagining her face made him feel even worst of all.

"Hello, Professor Quirrell, " Professor McGonagall said stepping halfway into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, "Could I borrow wood for a moment?"

Wood? What was wood? A stick she was going to beat him with? He'd heard about McGonagall's strict disciplinary methods from his parents but he hadn't thought she would actually beat him.

However, to Harry's relief, Wood turned out to be a person. A stocky fifth year boy to be exact who looked a little nervous himself and confused as to why he was called on by Professor McGonagall. He eyed Harry curiously as she showed them to an empty classroom.

"Wood," she said turning to face him, "I've found you your seeker."

Wood stared at her in amazement then turned to Harry.

"Really?" He asked in surprise.

"Really," Professor McGonagall said with a wry smile, "Wood meet Harry Potter. Potter, this is Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Woodm, this boy's a natural, I've never seen anything like it. He caught that ball in his hand out of a fifty foot dive, landed right on his feet. I doubt Charlie Weasley could've matched it."

Wood was practically dancing with glee by now.

"Ever played Quidditch Potter?" He asked excitedly.

"Er, yeah usually Chaser..." Harry trailed off bemused by what was going on around him. _So, he wasn't in trouble?_

"He's just the right build for a Seeker," Wood said distractedly, "small, light...he'll need a broom, something fast like a Cleansweep Seven or the new Nimbus."

"I'll speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first year rule." Professor McGonagall said,"Goodness knows Gryffindor needs some fresh talent. I couldn't look Professor Snape in the face after our last match against Slytherin. If you always fly like you did today Potter, I know we have high hopes of winning the House Cup."

Professor McGonagall suddenly gave Harry a rare bright smile.

"I dare say your father will be overjoyed," she said in an amused tone, "Infact, I think I'll write the letter informing him of this news myself."

And then she laughed lightly and strode out of the room, followed by an enthusiastic, babbling Wood. Harry was left in silence to ponder what on earth had just happened.

**Hope you liked it dudes!**

**Leave me a review and let me know! :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi everybody, I know you've been waiting an extremely long time for this. If you read my other fics then you already know why...If you don't, well then it's a good reason to check them out isn't it? A hundred times sorry...**

**Anyway, I'd rather not moan on about the tragedy of life. **

**Instead, I think we should we just get on with it!**

**IMPORTANT (SORT OF) AN-**

**I've written about the village of Potter's Bar (I mentioned it before, were you paying attention?) in this chapter and hardly anything I've written is factual. So, if you are from that village don't be offended, or anything, by my nonsense, I'm just having fun writing a story , like any other poor fool...**

**Er...that's it then.**

Chapter 9

A Night with Friends

The small village of Potter's Bar was home to a close knit society. Everyone knew almost everything about everybody else and conversations usually revolved around the daily goings on in the usually quiet, peaceful village. In Potter's Bar there was really only one mystery and that was of the Great House which had stood, proud and stately since anyone could remember, on the hill overlooking the village.

There had always been people living there of course. A family called 'Potter'. It was rumored that they had lived there since the founding of the village and that the village was even named after them, but most people thought that such talk was nonsense. After all, surely if all that were true the Potter's would show up every now and then in the village, people would know them better, they would be members of the community.

But the Potter's had always stayed well enough away. Oh people saw them, occasionally, but they were always quick to get away from any conversation that might be started up, it was sometimes almost as though they disappeared. In fact, for almost nine years, they really did disappear, atleast no one saw them, and the house went vacant. Then, out of the blue, a young couple and their son turned up and moved right into the manor as though nothing had happened. These 'new Potters' were just as mysterious as the old ones, hardly ever coming down to the village and avoiding conversation with everyone.

However, the Potters did sometimes visit the village and it came to be that a cold September's night found them, and a couple of their equally odd friends, seated around a table in village pub, The Green Man. Of course most of the village turned up to spy at them, some of them even plucked up the courage to try and talk to them, but for some reason everytime someone got close they would turn back giving the excuse that they'd forgotten something at home or that they suddenly felt ravenously hungry. Those that attempted to listen in on the strange group's conversation found that no matter how they strained their ears, all they could hear was a muffled hum.

Almost unaware of the surrounding muggles' scrutiny James and Lily Potter enjoyed a celebratory drink with their friends Remus and Sirius.

"To my godson, Harry Potter!" Sirius exclaimed loudly, already feeling the effects of one beer too many, "The youngest seeker in a...in a..."

"Century, Sirius," Remus reminded him amusedly, "He's the youngest seeker in a century."

"Right, right," Sirius said waving Remus's reminder away, "To Harry Potter!"

"To Harry!" The others cheered and they all clunked their pints together.

"You'll be getting him the Nimbus of course," Sirius said matter of factly as chugged down the last of his beer, "As far as I'm concerned the lad has earned a lifetime of them!"

"Actually Padfoot, we've already got him it," James said, "we were going to give it to him for his birthday..."

"But after his flying mishap we decided against it," Lily finished, "it would've been torture for him, having it and not being able to fly."

"Oh!" Sirius said wide eyed, "See now, tha's diabolical...tha's why I'll never have kids. I'd never think o' that one."

"I keep telling you Sirius," Lily said quickly, "one day you'll find the right girl and then you'll know I was right all along! You know...I've been in touch with a few of my old school friends lately and-"

"No, stop right there Lils," Sirius said and though his tone was serious he gave her a cheeky smirk, "there's a saying I live by, what is it now? It's a muggle one...Oh right, 'Don't buy the cow if you get the milk for free'. Never a truer word has been spoken!"

"That's disgusting!' Lily scolded, "James tell him-"

"Oh Lily let the man have his fun," James laughed but hurriedly added, "not everyone can be as lucky as I am after all, to have found such a beautiful wife so early and.."

"James, that's quite enough," Lily said smiling as she cut her babbling husband off. He too had had just a bit too much to drink.

"Remus, how's it going with the job hunting?" Lily asked the only other sober member of their party.

"Oh, it's been fine, I suppose," Remus said with a tired smile, "No one's written me back as yet, though that might have to do with the fact that I hand them a certificate of my Werewolf status after every interview."

"It's just so unfair," Lily said angrily shaking her head, "You are just as qualified as anyone, why should that even matter!"

"Truthfully I don't blame them," Remus said fairly, "if I had a choice between a completely normal man and one who turned into a monster once a month, well I think I might just veer on the side of caution."

"It's all bloody discrimination Moony!" Sirius chimed in loudly, swinging an arm around his friend's shoulders, "Don't you buy into it!"

"Ah, not to worry Padfoot," Remus said smiling even as he gingerly removed Sirius' arm, "I'm sure something'll come along eventually. Don't you worry about me either Lily," He added when he saw that she still looked upset, "I'll be fine and you've got Harry to think about, him and his first Quidditch match."

"Oh don't remind me!" Lily groaned, "You know, as proud as I am of him, I still had the strongest urge to go down to Hogwarts and give him a bit of a telling off for going off on that broom in the first place! Imagine what could've happened if he'd misjudged a dive like that!"

"But he didn't Lily," James said teasingly, "He's inherited his Dad's talent on the Quidditch pitch!"

"He's better that you James," Remus teased.

"Yeah Prongs," Sirius chuckled, "even you didn't make the team first year!"

"Oh don't joke about this you three," Lily said worriedly, "when I think about all the injuries James always ended up with-"

"Not that you ever bothered much at the time..." Sirius muttered so that Lily couldn't hear.

"-I just can't stand it," Lily continued, "He'll be the youngest player in the air, and he really is quite small, and-"

"Lily calm down," James soothed, "He'll be fine, remember Madam Pomfrey can sort out practically anything...not that anything will happen!" He added swiftly when he caught her panicked expression, "but he's at Hogwarts, Dumbledore will keep an eye on him, not to mention McGonagall."

"You know, I really think she loved us, underneath it all," Sirius commented as he eyed a group of busty blondes across the room.

"I know she did," Lily said rolling her eyes, "You all really were exceptionally brilliant in her class. I used to be so jealous of you Marauders, it was the only class I couldn't catch up to you in."

"Oh really love?" James said smirking, "I think this is the first time you've ever admitted this."

"Give her some more beer James," Sirius prompted, "She's spilling her secrets!"

"Oh no!" Lily laughed, "that's quite enough for me, someone's got to get us home in one piece after all, speaking of which, I'm actually starting to feel quite tired."

"Oh yes, very tired," James agreed but a wicked gleam in his eye made his friends laugh and Lily blush.

"I think I'll head home too," Remus said, standing and sliding on his jacket, "What about you Padfoot?"

"Oh I think I'll stay for a while," Sirius said as a pretty young blonde winked at him from the bar.

James and Remus exchanged amused glances and Lily sighed exasperatedly.

"Will you ever grow up Sirius?"

"Hmm, maybe one day, but I'm not done having fun just yet so if you'll excuse me I'm off to dazzle those ladies over there with a few of my best 'magic tricks'."

"Some things never change," Remus commented as he left the pub with Lily and James.

"Some things just shouldn't," James replied contentedly.

**Oh but they do James...they do...**

**Anyway, yes this is sort of a filler chapter. I wasn't going to post it like this at all. Atleast not until I written the other half of it (which is going to be with Harry at Hogwarts) but then I decided I'd gone long enough withough giving you guys something. So I hope you like it!**

**Any mistakes can be blamed on my busy life. Next chapter will be up whenever I next find time to write, which I'm sorry to say might not be for a little while.**

**Please review! Gives me inspiration to write more, honestly!**

**Until the next!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay so...I realise that at the end of the last chapter I said that I might not be able to update for a while...but I didn't even know I'd be MIA for two years! HA...a ha...ha..hem...**

**Anyway...it's all good right...I'm back from the land of distraction and what not...I mean, yeah, I'm still quite busy, but I'm going to focus exclusively on this fanfic until it's completion before I go back to working on my other ones. **

**Right, so, I'm very sorry for this huge delay...Gosh reading this over again I've really noticed too many spelling mistakes (back then I don't think I had spell check and I was rushing to push the chapters out in the midst of my hectic school life...). However, I think it's now time for me to end this apologetic rant, as I'm sure you all want to get to the next part of this fic and honestly, so do I.**

**So, without further ado...**

**Let's get on with it!**

Chapter 10

Adventures at Midnight

Ron had been awed and amazed by Harry's unlikely story of how he had done the impossible and made it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team in his first year at Hogwarts. He had told Ron all about it over their dinner of steak-and-kidney pie at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Harry himself was still in shock at the events of the day and he was certain nothing could ruin his good mood.

"I start training next week," Harry informed Ron after repeating the whole story for the third time. "But Wood's told me not to tell anyone. He doesn't want the other teams knowing Gryffindor's found a seeker already."

"Too right," came a voice from behind them. "Wood's got you lined you up as our new secret weapon."

Harry and Ron turned to see Fred and George grinning identically down at them. "Welcome to the team Harry," George said in a low voice.

"We're Beaters," Fred elaborated at Harry's questioning look.

"Can't wait to see you play," said George.

"Yeah, Wood was practically skipping when he told us about you today."

"Must be good," said the twins in unison.

"Er...Well..." Harry shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny but the twins were already talking again.

"Anyway, we'll see you around," Fred said. "Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new passage leading out of the school, but I bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first year. Laters!"

No sooner had the twins disappeared that Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, strutted up to the table.

"Surprised to see you here Potter," Malfoy smirked, "Waiting for the train to come pick you up are you? Won't Mummy and Daddy be disappointed you got expelled so soon?"

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry said coolly, "I see you're a lot braver now you've got them with you." He nodded towards Crabbe and Goyle who were cracking their knuckles menacingly.

"What?" Malfoy arched a pale brow. "You think I couldn't take you on my own? How about we have a little duel. Wands only. Not scared, are you Potter?"

"Not at all," Harry said, almost too eager to put Malfoy in his place, "Ron'll be my second, who's yours".

"Crabbe," Malfoy said and the tall, brutish boy exchanged glares with Ron. "We'll meet tonight at midnight, the trophy room. Don't be late, Potter."

As Malfoy strode off, Harry turned to Ron apologetically. "Sorry for putting you in it like that," he said. "You can-"

"Are you joking?" Ron said, "I can't wait to see Malfoy try to worm his way out of this one. Know any spells?"

"Er...a couple." Harry said scratching his head. "Hopefully more that he does."

"Ahem, excuse me," a girl's voice interrupted.

They turned to see Hermione Granger with her arms folded across her chest and her eyes narrowed at them.

"I couldn't help but overhear you-"

"I bet you could?" Ron muttered.

"And I think I've really got to tell you that you mustn't go wandering about the castle at night," she continued. "Think of all the trouble you'll be in. You could lose Gryffindor so many points. It's really quite selfish of you to even think about it!"

"Is that all?" Harry said dryly.

"Thanks for that but I really don't think this is any of your business," said Ron. "Goodbye."

Despite Harry's initial unconcern over Hermione Granger's disapproval of his and Ron's midnight plans he found, as the night crept on, that his bravado was fading and thoughts of getting into terrible trouble (which he had only just avoided that very day by chance) were beginning to bother him. By wandering the Hogwarts corridors at night he was opening himself up to the possibility of being caught by Filch or his cat Mrs. Norris who was notorious for being able to alert her master to any students out of bed in the blink of an eye. Harry wondered if it was pushing his luck a bit too much to expect to get away with this wizard's duel in the trophy room at midnight. However, his father did tell him that Hogwarts was made for having adventures, and honestly Harry just wanted to wipe that smug look off Malfoy's face when he bested him in a duel.

"Harry," he heard Ron whisper from the neighbouring bed. "It's half past eleven, we'd better get going."

Both boys held their breaths as they tiptoed past the slumbering Dean and Seamus and out of the dormitory. As they snuck into the common room the appearance of a bushy head of hair popping out from behind the back of one of the armchairs almost caused the boys to scream in shock.

"I can't believe you two are actually doing this!" Hermione Granger hissed.

"Ugh, you again!" Ron moaned exasperatedly "Why can't you just mind your own business?"

"I almost told your brother you know!" Hermione said heatedly. "Someone needs to put a stop to this!"

Harry just stared at her.

"Hermione, go back to bed," he said angrily. "Come on Ron, let's go."

Harry pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed out into the corridor outside. He had hoped that Hermione would do as he said and return to the girl's dormitories. Instead she followed Ron out of the portrait hole and it swung closed behind her.

"I can't believe you two are being so selfish!" she ranted. "Do you want Slytherin to win the House Cup? If you get caught you'll make us lose all those points I got from Professor McGonagall and-"

"Granger, go away!" Ron growled.

"Fine, but don't blame me when you get caught. I'll make sure and tell Professor McGonagall that I told you both not to go and-"

Hermione abruptly halted mid-sentence. She had turned back to the portrait of the Fat Lady in order to say the password and go back to bed but the Fat Lady was not in her portrait and Hermione was now stuck outside Gryffindor Tower.

"Oh no!" She shrieked. "This is all your fault! Now I'm going to get in trouble too!"

"Our fault?" Ron repeated indignantly.

Harry, taking pity on Hermione who seemed near tears, said, "look, you'll just have to wait here until the Fat Lady comes back. She won't be gone too long."

He and Ron had just gone about halfway up the corridor when they heard her scarpering behind them. "Oh no Harry Potter, I'm coming with you," she announced.

"What?" said Ron furiously, "don't you think you've caused us enough trouble?"

"I'm not about to just stand here and wait for a Professor to find me out here alone!" Hermione glared. "At least if we're all caught together you can tell them that I was only trying to stop you."

"Are you bloody-"

"Shh!" Harry said urgently, "do you hear that?"

The three of them stood silently for a moment. There was a funny sort of shuffling noise coming from somewhere nearby.  
"Do you think it's Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked worriedly.

However as they all peered into the darkness they saw that it was not Mrs. Norris at all. It was Neville Longbottom, and he was blinking sleepily at them from where he was curled up on the floor.

"Oh, finally someone came out!" He exclaimed, "I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the password."

"Neville, keep your voice down, it's almost midnight," said Harry. "The password won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm Neville?" Hermione asked.

"Um... it's fine," Neville said stretching it out to show them. "Madame Pomfrey fixed it really quickly."

Ron checked his watch. "That's great Neville but we've got to get going."

"Wait! Don't leave me here!" Neville cried grabbing onto Harry's arm. "It's really dark out here and there's already been ghosts going past."

Harry groaned. "Alright, alright but make sure you stay quiet."

The four of them crept almost silently through deserted corridors and stairways lit only by the somewhat eerie light of moon and the occasional flickering of a torch against a wall. Harry's heart was pounding in his throat. Every time he rounded a corner he expected to see Filch or Mrs. Norris waiting but it seemed that luck was on their side. They reached the third floor without incident and slipped through the open door of the trophy room. Malfoy wasn't there yet. Harry took out his wand just in case he appeared suddenly and tried a sneak attack. Several minutes later Ron spoke up.

"Do you think he chickened out?"

Just then they heard a voice from the next room. Filch's voice. Three horror-struck faces turned towards Harry who gathered the sense to wave them all as quickly and quietly as possible back through the door and into the corridor outside. They'd only just made it when they heard Filch enter the trophy room and begin to search. "They're in here hiding somewhere my sweet," he murmured to Mrs. Norris.

"I hope you realise that Malfoy tricked you," he heard Hermione hiss as they ran along the corridor and back towards the stairs. Harry shot her a glare mostly out of annoyance at the fact that she was right. They skid round a corner, running at top speed, with Harry in the lead not having any idea where they were going. He was certainly regretting leaving Gryffindor tower by that point as this particular adventure was not turning out to be quite as fun as he would had hoped. Suddenly they found themselves at a dead end. A locked door was in front of them and they could hear Filch still on their heels only a few corridors away.

"This is it," Ron moaned as he struggled with the door. "We're done for!"

"Ugh, move over!" Hermione said, shoving him away. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the lock. "Alohomora!"

With a _click_, the door swung open. All four of them scrambled inside and shut it. Neville promptly doubled over wheezing and the rest of them were hardly any better as they gasped for air. Harry turned to look at the room they had entered and quickly wished he hadn't. They weren't in a room at all. They were in another corridor. It wasn't just any corridor though, it was the forbidden corridor on the third floor that Dumbledore had warned all students to stay away from at the feast. Now he knew why.

Harry found himself staring into all six of the yellow, blinking eyes of an enormous three headed dog. It had evidently been asleep when they'd first entered the corridor, but now it was waking up and it's deafening growls began to rumble like thunder against the walls. He heard Ron, Hermione and Neville begin to scream. Harry himself was too shocked to do anything but gape at the monster before them. He grasped for the door nob behind them; getting caught out of bed by Filch was better than being eaten by a three headed dog. As the door fell open, the four of them dashed out, Harry slamming it shut behind them, and they raced back down the corridor and up stairs and through tapestries, hardly caring what noise they were making or if Filch was still out looking for them. They didn't stop running until they were once again in front the portrait of the Fat Lady who was, blessedly, back in her frame.

"Where on earth have you lot been?" she asked astonished by the appearance of the four panting first years.

"Don't worry about it!" Harry gasped and repeated the password urgently until she swung her portrait open. Once inside the common room, they collapsed, exhausted, into the chairs before the fire. Still trembling in shock, Ron turned to Harry.

"What is a bloody great dog like that doing locked in that corridor?!"

"Didn't you see what it was standing on?" Hermione huffed.

"Er, the floor?" Harry guessed. "Honestly I wasn't looking at it's feet. I was a bit too busy with it's heads."

"Ugh, none of you use your eyes, obviously!" Hermione snapped. "It was standing on a trapdoor."

"And...that means?" Ron said after a few seconds.

"It's obviously guarding something!" She stood, glaring angrily at them. "Now, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled." And with that, she flounced up the stairs towards the girl's dormitories.

Ron shot a bemused look in Harry's direction but he was concentrating on something Hermione had said. The dog was guarding something. He remembered the grubby package Hagrid had collected for Professor Dumbledore at Gringotts the same day of the break in. He also remembered his mother's words about that little package,_ 'it's something secret which must be kept very safe'_. Harry was certain he had discovered the place where it was being kept. The question was, what exactly was it?

**And there we go! **

**I always loved that last line of Hermione's...haha**

**I know a lot of this was highly reminiscent of the first book but I wanted to use this chapter to mainly illustrate small differences in Harry's personality from that of the orignal version and also create a bridge for the rest of the story to develop, which of course had to begin with the discovery of Fluffy and Harry and Ron's first major interaction with Hermione and Neville.**

**So, I hope you liked it. If you did...can I hope for a review?**

**On another note, who's joined Pottermore? What house are you in? Leave a review to let me know. I'm a proud Ravenclaw!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi! I know this is waayyyyyy later than I said I would have this chapter up...I unexpectedly ended up being more busy than I thought I'd be...**

**But I've got your latest chapter right here so Enjoy!**

**Without further ado...**

**Let's Get On With It!**

Chapter 11

'First The Dog and Now There's a Dirty Great Troll!'

The morning after their unfortunate run-in with the three headed dog, Harry found himself so preoccupied with wondering what exactly it was guarding and whether it was in fact the same package Hagrid had removed from Gringotts, that he barely noticed Ron gleefully pointing out Malfoy's look of shock when they both appeared at breakfast. He, feeling a twinge of guilt, told Ron about his theory of what the the dog was guarding over their meal, despite his mother's warning to keep the package a secret. He trusted Ron not to tell anyone else about it, after all, neither of them were meant to have even been anywhere near the dog and whatever it was guarding. Both boys agreed that, whatever the item was, it had to be something very valuable but as they knew nothing more about it, their discussion of it's nature died down quickly.

Even if Harry and Ron had wanted to consult Hermione Granger on her thoughts about what they had seen the night before they would not have received a response. The girl had taken to glaring at them at every chance and refused to speak a word to them at all. Neville, on the other hand, seemed to want to pretend that the whole midnight adventure had simply been a vivid nightmare and had practically run away as Harry and Ron approached to talk to him about it.

"Well, they won't be any help," Ron said as they returned to their seats at the Gryffindor table after their failed attempt to talk to Neville.

Harry ran his fork absently through the leftover scrambled eggs on his plate. He wondered if they ought to be trying to find out more about the package. It was obviously something of great importance and secrecy since his parents seemed to know what it was but wouldn't tell him. Perhaps, it was some dangerous, magical weapon or maybe the words of a wicked dark curse that was forgotten through history and needed to be kept away from people who would use it for evil.

The screech of an owl distracted Harry from his musings. Owl post had arrived. Harry quickly scanned the incoming birds for Hedwig's distinct white feathers. When he found her he was surprised to see that she, along with his parent's owl Midnight, Sirius's owl Shadow and another owl he didn't recognize, was carrying a long thin package wrapped in brown paper. The owls dropped it right across his plate and Ron's, almost knocking over their pumpkin juice. Hedwig nipped his fingers, and then they were off again, soaring out of the Great Hall.

"What is it?" Ron asked peering over Harry's shoulder as he ripped an envelope off of the package and tore it open.

The letter inside read:

_Dear Harry,_

_ Your mother and I can't say how proud we are of you for making the Gryffindor Quidditch team in your first ever year at Hogwarts. Looks like you've inherited all of your old dad's talent after all. Oh alright, you'll probably make an even better player than I was, even I didn't make the team first year. I can't wait to see you play, your mother and I will of course be coming to your first match and we're extremely excited for you. I know I'll be bragging to everyone at work about you being the youngest seeker in a century. _

_Remember, if you ever need any advice you can ask me. I know I was a chaser but I played for Gryffindor too in my day (you can go look for my trophies) so I'm sure I'll be of priceless aid to you._

_Oh, but your mother's telling me I've been rambling on too much and you're probably wondering what's in the package. Well, you can't be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team without a quality broom can you? Open it up in your dormitory, Professor McGonagall has already told me she doesn't want too many people knowing about this yet. _

_Have fun with your new broom. We know you'll make the team just as proud as you've already made us._

_Love,_

_Mum and Dad_

_PS- Though I'm extremely proud of you for making the team, please don't go putting yourself in danger like that again Harry. I almost had a heart attack reading Professor McGonagall's letter. Love you sweetheart. Mum. _

"It's a broom," Harry whispered excitedly as he finished reading the letter. Ron was already gaping at the package longingly.

"Well?" He said. "Aren't you gonna open it?"

"Come on," Harry said, snatching up the package and hurrying towards the stairs leading up to Gryffindor tower. However, he and Ron found their way barred by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy immediately stretched out his hand before Harry could move away and felt the package.

"That's obviously a broom," He said. "Don't know the rules Potter?"

"Actually, I do," Harry said smoothly. "But sometimes, if you're brave enough, you've just got to break them, don't you Malfoy?"

Then he and Ron slid past Malfoy and headed up the stairs leaving him fuming at the bottom and shouting, "Don't think I won't tell anyone Potter!"

oOo

"Merlin...it's a Nimbus Two Thousand," Ron gawked at the broom now lying across Harry's bed. Harry himself was speechless as he stared at the polished handle of the broom where the glinting gold letters spelt out the name of the fastest racing broom on the market. He had studied the details of the broom in Quidditch magazines for months, and fantasized about what it would be like to fly on a broomstick that had been used only by professional Quidditch players, but had never imagined he would actually own one.

"I can't wait to fly on it," Harry said a few minutes later after he and Ron reluctantly packed away the broom and left for their first lesson of the day.

Thoughts of the Nimbus Two Thousand hidden away in the dormitory occupied his thoughts so much that he could barely concentrate in his classes and Ron was hardly any better as he continually asked Harry to repeat his promise to let him have a turn on the Nimbus. That evening, after dinner, the two were finally able to get down to the Quidditch pitch to give the racing broom a try. As soon as Harry kicked up off the ground he knew exactly why the broom was considered the best in the world. It moved swiftly at the slightest bend of his wrists and its' speed far surpassed the brooms he had ridden before.

The next morning, Lily and James Potter received one of the longest and most heartfelt letters of thanks either of them had ever received.

oOo

In a rush of Quidditch practice, lessons, and homework Harry found that his first two months at Hogwarts had flown by. Although he still missed his parents and his home at Potter House deeply, the castle had become much more familiar to him and had already begun to feel like a home away from home. He was even enjoying his classes, Potions excluded, which were becoming more and more interesting as their first year progressed. Now, as October came to a close, the castle had been fully decorated for Halloween and live bats and floating carved pumpkins could be seen hovering over the four House tables in the Great Hall.

"I can almost smell the feast already," Ron sighed wistfully sniffing the air as he and Harry passed the Great Hall on the way to Charms.

Professor Flitwick was already seated on the tall stack of books behind his desk and as the first years filtered into the classroom he waved his wand and dozens of white feathers zoomed across the room, one landing before each student.

"What're the feathers for Professor?" Parvati Patil asked, already twirling hers between her fingers.

"An excellent question miss Patil," Flitwick said animatedly. "Today you will be practicing the charm to make objects fly which you all learned about in last week's class. I trust you all have done your homework in practicing the incantation and wand movements."

"Of course, Professor!" Hermione Granger said, practically bouncing in anticipation.

Next to Harry, Ron groaned and muttered, "Show off."

Harry grinned and shook his head but he too was quite excited to try the levitation charm charm. He considered it to be something so elementary to magic that he felt he could hardly be considered a wizard if he could not make an object fly up with just a spell. He pulled out his wand and focused on memorising the pronunciation of the charm that Flitwick's chalk was writing phonetically across the board.

Forty minutes later they all left the classroom feeling rather frustrated. Most people were unable to affect any change in their feather at all. Harry had only just managed to make his wiggle slightly when the class ended and by that time Seamus Finnigan had managed to set his on fire. Only Hermione Granger was successful and Flitwick's praise for her followed them out of the classroom.

"Honestly, it's just not normal," Ron complained. "Do you think she's cheating somehow?"

"Actually," A voice sounded testily from behind them. They swung around to see Hermione Granger glaring at Ron. "You were pronouncing the charm wrong. It's Levi-O-sa not Levi-OSA. May be if you actually studied, instead of playing wizards chess and exploding snap every night you might have been able to make your feather hover too.

Ron's face went almost as red as his hair. "Oh yeah?" He said angrily. "Well may be if you weren't such a poncey know it all you'd actually have some friends."

Hermione's eyes widened and her lips thinned. Her knuckles whitened on the straps of her backpack as she immediately rushed past them, her face turned away. Harry still saw the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Hermione wait!" He called after her but she had already ducked into the crowd of students heading to their next classes. Harry turned to Ron who was now looking sheepish.

"Well, it's true," He said defensively. "She hasn't got any friends and that's why."

Harry frowned. "You didn't need to be horrid to her about it. When we see her next class you should apologise."

However, Hermione wasn't in History of Magic or Transfiguration and when they went up to the common room to drop their school bags off before dinner she wasn't there either.

"She's probably up in her room studying," Ron said shrugging it off uncomfortably when Harry expressed some concern.

Once they had arrived in the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast he scanned the table for Hermione's bushy hair and not seeing her he tapped Lavender Brown on the shoulder.

"Oh, Harry!" She said surprised as she turned away from her conversation with Parvati. Both girls promptly began giggling and Harry suppressed the desire to roll his eyes.

"Hi Lavender," He said, "Have you seen Hermione Granger anywhere?"

She and Parvati exchanged glances and then giggled again slightly more nervously. "Well, I don't know if I should say," Lavender said glancing about before lowering her voice. "But we saw her just now in the bathroom and it looks as though she's been crying all day. I asked her what was wrong but she said to leave her alone. Why? Do you know why she's upset?"

"Er, yeah probably," Harry said cryptically as he turned to Ron whose expression was now one of guilt.

"Alright, alright Harry," He muttered at Harry's raised brow. "I'll tell her sorry as soon I see her."

Just as he spoke however, the feast appeared before them and Ron fell on the food ravenously, all thoughts of Hermione fleeing his mind. Harry, really rolling his eyes this time, made up his mind to apologise to Hermione on Ron's behalf if his friend's careless behaviour continued, before he too tucked into the food.

Halfway through the feast Professor Quirrell suddenly burst into the Great Hall. Sprinting into the centre of the room he shouted, "Troll! Troll in the Dungeon!" before promptly fainting. The Great Hall erupted into screams as students scrambled over one another all trying to get up at the same time. Dumbledore raised his wand and a sound like thunder booming echoed through the Great Hall.

"Everyone remain calm," His voice rang out powerfully. "Prefects lead your houses back to your common rooms, all teachers will come with me to the dungeons to investigate."

Harry and Ron allowed themselves to be swept into the tide of Gryffindors being led out of the Great Hall by Ron's brother Percy. They had made it almost all the way to Gryffindor tower when Harry suddenly froze.

"What is it?" Ron asked miserably, annoyed the feast had been interrupted.

"Hermione!" Harry gasped. "She's still in the girl's bathroom. We've got to warn her about the Troll!"

With stricken expressions, both boys dashed away from the other students and down another corridor towards the toilets.

oOo

"Do you think there's actually a troll?" Ron whispered as he and Harry crept down a dimly lit corridor. "I mean Quirrel is afraid of his own shadow. And he was down in the dungeons, maybe he just ran into Snape."

"Snape was at the feast though," Harry snorted. "Anyway, stop worrying about it. Quirrel said the troll was down in the dungeons and we're miles away from them."

"So why are we going to rescue Granger then?" Ron mumbled and Harry glared at him.

"Because," He said firmly. "If the troll does manage to get up here she might be in trouble so we've got to get her back to the common room with everyone else. Besides it's your fault she wasn't at the feast. It's the least you could do."

"She's only going to lecture us about rule breaking again," Ron said but continued to follow Harry anyway, edging along the corridor with their wands at the ready.

"Ugh! Is that the girl's lavatory?" Ron asked wrinkling his nose against the smell that was suddenly filling the air. "Bloody Hell, that's foul!"

"I don't think it's the bathroom," Harry said pointing down to the end of the corrider. There, an enormous, hulking shadow was cast against the wall. The sound of huge, heavy footsteps echoed in the silence, then the troll was in the view. It was about twelve feet tall with grey, mottled skin and a lumpy body that looked as though it had been formed out of misshapen clay. It's head was peculiarly small in comparison to the rest of it, and it's two beady black eyes glinted dully in the light of the moon streaming through the window above it's head. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as the troll glanced around slowly. He had left to find Hermione but now he had run into the very creature he was aiming to help her avoid. What would his parents say when they heard he had been mangled by a twelve foot troll? Behind him, Ron was actually whimpering.

The troll grunted and turned it's face away from where they stood, hidden by the shadows. It continued on then, and Harry noticed for the first time that it carried a heavy wooden club with it.

"Alright," Ron hissed, "first the dog and now there's a dirty great troll! What sort of school is this?"

"We should go get help," Harry said already stepping back the way the came. A scream pierced the air.

"Hermione!" Both boys exchanged a determined glance and bolted down the corrider the troll had taken. The first thing they saw was that the door to the girl's toilets was hanging out of it's frame and that water had flooded out of the bathroom and onto the stone beneath their feet. A loud crash came from within the bathroom, followed by another terrified scream and the boys rushed in. The troll was swinging it's club angrily, smashing into stalls and shattering sinks, as Hermione dashed around the bathroom trying to avoid it.

"Oi!" Harry shouted trying to get it's attention away from Hermione. It swung around stupidly and Harry almost found himself frozen with fear but, suddenly struck by inspiration, he fired a stinging jinx at one of it's beady eyes causing it to clamp one of its hands to it's face and stumble backwards. Then Harry lunged at it and clung to one of it's knobbly arms. Swinging himself onto it's sholders, he poked it in the other eye with his wand and hung on for dear life as the beast roared in pain and tried to buck him off.

"Harry!" Ron shouted and Hermione screamed again.

"Do something!" Harry yelled as the troll twisted round and round trying to reach him with it's club.

"Umm..." Ron dithered hopping up and down.

"The club!" Hermione shrieked suddenly as the Troll almost managed to strike Harry.

"Ah, right," Ron said and took a deep breath. "WINGARDIUM LEVI-O-SA!"

The troll swung it's arm aiming once more for Harry and found that it's hand was empty. It let out a puzzled sounding grumble and looked up only to find the club falling straight into it's face, knocking it out cold. It's knees buckled and Harry managed to throw himself off it's shoulders before it slammed to the ground, a cloud of dust rising around it. The three of them stared in silence at the troll for a long moment.

"I can't believe I did it," Ron said stunned. Then a smug grin lit his expression. "Said it right then, didn't I?" And Hermione simultaneously burst into laughter and tears.

When a group of teachers turned up a few moments later they found all three students shaking hands and congratulating eachother on the defeat of the troll which was still as stone on the bathroom floor.

"What on earth is the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall demanded in alarm.

As Hermione commandeered the explanation why she had been absent from the feast and how he and Ron had felt compelled to go warn her of the danger of the troll in the castle, Harry found his eyes noticing the blood dripping from the torn edges of one of the teacher's robes. Glancing upwards, he realised it was Snape. As the sneering man caught his eye, his gaze narrowed and he swept his cloak forward to cover the wound on his leg.

"Right, well," McGonagall said as Hermione finished her tale. "I never could have imagined such recklessness from first years such as yourselves. Still, it's not many your age who could take down a mountain troll. I'm taking five points from Gryffindor for your stupidity."

Ron looked about ready to protest but McGonagall shot him a stern look.

"And five points will be awarded to each of you." She added. "Professor Dumbledore will be made aware of this and as you three very well may have died tonight I will be forced to write to your parents."

At this, Ron let out a loud groan and Harry felt his shoulders sagging. When his Dad and Sirius had told him to have aventures at Hogwarts he very much doubted they meant chasing after mountain trolls and his mother would definitely not appreciate this turn of events. Still as he, Ron and Hermione were escorted up to Gryffindor tower by McGonagall he couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted irrevocably between them. After all, being attacked by a mountain troll would make any girl less uptight, especially towards her rescuers.

**Ah...the sweet formation of the Golden Trio! (Who knows the origin of this term for Harry, Ron and Hermione btw? I do find it funny)**

**Please leave a review if you liked this chapter!**

**I'm afraid I can't promise when the next will be out, I tried to last time and see where that got me?**

**But I'll try my best to get it out asap for you lot to read!**

**Til the next!**


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